A cable tension limiting device for wind turbine tower elevator

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cable tension limiting device for a wind turbine tower elevator. It includes an outer sleeve with a bottom seal and a hole in the center, at least one guide strip hole is provided on the side wall of the outer sleeve, an inner sleeve with a top seal and a hole in the center is provided inside the outer sleeve, a guide block with a hole in the middle is installed on the top of the inner sleeve, a convex ridge falling into the guide strip hole is provided on the outer wall of the guide block, and a spring is provided between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve; it also includes a pull rod with an end at the upper end, the middle part of which passes through the hole on the top wall of the inner sleeve, the spring and the hole on the bottom wall of the outer sleeve in sequence, a trigger rod is installed on the top of the pull rod, a trigger plate is installed on the trigger rod, a lifting ring is installed at the bottom of the pull rod, and a contact switch is also included; it also includes a mounting bracket and a protective frame. The present invention has a reasonable structural design, can sense the tension of the cable and provide feedback signals to the control system when over-tension occurs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of wind turbine equipment, and in particular relates to a cable tension limiting device for a wind turbine tower elevator. Background Art

[0002] Wind tower elevators are lifting equipment used in wind turbine towers. Wind tower elevators are similar to elevators. They use a drive motor and a steel cable to drive the car to move up and down. They are equipped with a guide mechanism to ensure the stability of the car during lifting and lowering, and a safety mechanism to perform emergency braking in dangerous situations to ensure safety. Wind tower elevators are usually connected to cables, which are used to provide power to components such as the drive motor and controller installed on the elevator. During the lifting and lowering of the tower elevator in the wind turbine tower, the aforementioned cables are dragged and moved. Normally, the cable needs to be relatively fixed on the extension path. After leaving enough margin for the lifting and lowering of the tower elevator, the other parts of the cable are fixed to the inside of the wind tower to prevent arbitrary displacement.

[0003] However, during the operation of the tower elevator, there are some abnormal operating conditions that may cause the cable to be over-pulled. For example, when the cable connected to the car is stuck / entangled, the length of the free section of the cable no longer meets the travel requirements of the elevator, so the fixed section of the cable will be over-pulled as mentioned above. When the cable is subjected to excessive tension, it is easy to cause structural damage, and in severe cases, the cable may break. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a device that can sense the tension of the cable and provide feedback signals to the control system when over-tension occurs, so as to improve the safety and reliability of the operation of the wind turbine tower elevator. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to solve the technical problems existing in the known technology, the present invention provides a cable tension limiting device for a wind turbine tower elevator with a reasonable structural design, which can sense the pulling effect on the cable and provide a feedback signal to the control system when over-tension occurs, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the operation of the wind turbine tower elevator.

[0005] The present invention adopts a technical solution to solve the technical problems existing in the known technology: a cable tension limiting device for a wind turbine tower elevator comprises an outer sleeve with a bottom seal and a hole in the center, at least one guide strip hole extending in the axial direction and not penetrating downward is provided on the side wall of the outer sleeve, an inner sleeve with a top seal and a hole in the center is provided inside the outer sleeve, a guide block with a hole in the middle is installed on the top of the inner sleeve, a convex ridge falling into the guide strip hole is provided on the outer wall of the guide block, and a spring is provided between the top wall of the inner sleeve and the bottom wall of the outer sleeve; it also includes a pull rod with an end at the upper end, the end is located in the hole of the guide block, and the middle part passes through the hole on the top wall of the inner sleeve, the spring and the hole on the bottom wall of the outer sleeve in sequence, a trigger rod is installed on the top of the pull rod, a trigger plate is installed on the trigger rod, a lifting ring is installed at the bottom of the pull rod, and a contact switch cooperating with the trigger plate is also included; it also includes a mounting bracket installed inside the tower and a protective frame for protecting the trigger plate, the trigger rod and the contact switch.

[0006] Preferably: two guide strip holes are provided on the outer sleeve and are spaced 180° apart in the circumferential direction; the guide block is fixedly connected to the inner sleeve by screws; and two convex ridges are provided on the outer wall of the guide block and are spaced 180° apart in the circumferential direction.

[0007] Preferably: an external thread is provided at the lower part of the pull rod, a tension setting lock nut is provided at the upper part of the exposed section of the pull rod, and the tension setting lock nut contacts the bottom of the outer sleeve.

[0008] Preferably: a threaded hole is provided in the middle of the end of the pull rod, the trigger rod is a threaded rod, the lower end of which is threadedly connected to the end of the pull rod and locked with a locking nut; a threaded hole is provided in the middle of the trigger plate, the trigger rod and the trigger plate are threadedly connected, and a trigger plate locking nut is provided below the trigger plate.

[0009] Preferably: the lifting ring comprises a base and a collar located below the base, a threaded hole is provided in the middle of the base, the lower end of the pull rod is threadedly connected to the base and locked with a lower locking nut.

[0010] Preferably, an indicating scale is provided on the outer wall of the outer sleeve and on the side of the guide bar-shaped hole, and the convex edge on the outer side of the guide block serves as a pointer cooperating with the indicating scale.

[0011] Preferably: the protective frame is a first protective frame, the first protective frame includes a first top plate, a first bottom plate and a first pillar located between the four corners thereof, a first window is provided in the middle of the first top plate, a window is provided in the middle of the first bottom plate and the upper end of the outer sleeve is located in the window and welded and fixed, and the contact switch is installed on the first bottom plate; the mounting bracket is a side-mounted bracket, including an I-shaped bracket side plate and a bracket bottom plate, a window is provided in the middle of the bracket bottom plate and the lower end of the outer sleeve is located in the window and welded and fixed, the upper edge of the bracket side plate is welded and fixed to the rear edge of the first bottom plate, and the lower edge of the bracket side plate is welded and fixed to the rear edge of the bracket bottom plate.

[0012] Preferably: the protective frame is a second protective frame, and the second protective frame also serves as a mounting bracket; the second protective frame includes a second top plate, a second bottom plate and a second pillar located between the four corners of the second top plate, a second window is provided in the middle of the second top plate, a window is provided in the middle of the second bottom plate and the upper end of the outer sleeve is located in the window and welded and fixed, and the contact switch is installed on the second bottom plate.

[0013] The advantages and positive effects of the present invention are:

[0014] The present invention provides a cable tension limiting device for a wind turbine tower elevator with a reasonable structural design. By providing an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve and providing a spring therebetween, the inner sleeve and its accessory parts can be translated in the axial direction and the spring provides a reset elastic force. By setting the compression state of the spring, the tension limit value of the cable can be set. By providing a trigger rod and a trigger plate and making the contact switch cooperate with the trigger plate, when the tension exceeds the limit, a trigger signal is generated by the contact switch and sent to the control system. The control system can control the hoist device of the elevator to stop according to the received signal, thereby avoiding the problem of cable over-limit tension caused by further movement of the elevator, protecting the cable, and improving the stability and reliability of the operation of the elevator equipment.

[0015] The cable tension limiting device of the present invention forms a self-contained unit, and is convenient for installation and use in a wind turbine tower in an integrated manner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the external structure of the main body of the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 4is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the main body of the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] In the figure:

[0024] 1. First protective frame; 1-1. First pillar; 1-2. First top plate; 1-3. First bottom plate; 1-4. First window; 2. Trigger plate; 3. Trigger rod; 4. Contact switch; 5. Side bracket; 5-1. Bracket side plate; 5-2. Bracket bottom plate; 6. Indicator scale; 7. Outer sleeve; 7-1. Guide bar hole; 8. Tension setting lock nut; 9. Pull rod; 10. Lower lock nut; 11. Lifting ring; 12. Connecting ring; 13. Guide block; 14. Upper lock nut; 15. Inner sleeve; 16. Trigger plate lock nut; 17. Spring; 18. Second protective frame; 18-1. Second pillar; 18-2. Second top plate; 18-3. Second bottom plate; 18-4. Second window. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] In order to further understand the content, features and effects of the present invention, the following embodiments are given to explain in detail.

[0026] Embodiment 1

[0027] See also Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 The cable tension limiting device of the wind turbine tower elevator of the present invention comprises an outer sleeve 7 with a bottom seal and a hole in the center, at least one guide bar hole 7-1 extending in the axial direction and not penetrating downward is provided on the side wall of the outer sleeve 7, an inner sleeve 15 with a top seal and a hole in the center is provided inside the outer sleeve 7, a guide block 13 with a hole in the middle is installed on the top of the inner sleeve 15, and a convex ridge falling into the guide bar hole 7-1 is provided on the outer wall of the guide block 13. When the inner sleeve 15 moves along the axial direction inside the outer sleeve 7, the convex ridge moves along the guide bar hole 7-1, thereby improving the stability of the inner sleeve 15 when moving axially and avoiding twisting during the axial movement.

[0028] In this embodiment, there are two guide strip holes 7-1 on the outer sleeve 7 and they are spaced 180° apart circumferentially. The guide block 13 is fixedly connected to the top of the inner sleeve 15 by screws. Accordingly, two ridges are provided on the outer wall of the guide block 13 and they are spaced 180° apart circumferentially. The two ridges fall into the two guide strip holes 7-1 respectively.

[0029] A spring 17 is provided between the top wall of the inner sleeve 15 and the bottom wall of the outer sleeve 7. The spring 17 is used to provide elastic force for the inner sleeve 15. When the spring 17 is in a certain compression state between the inner sleeve 15 and the outer sleeve 7, the tension limit value of the device is set. Under the pulling action of the external force, the tension when the inner sleeve 15 further overcomes the elastic force of the spring 17 and forces the spring 17 to further contract is the set tension limit value of the device. When the tension reaches this limit value, the device generates a trigger signal to the control system for the control system to make working condition judgment.

[0030] See also Figure 4 and Figure 5 , we can see that:

[0031] It also includes a pull rod 9 with a terminal at the upper end, the terminal is located in the hole of the guide block 13, and the middle part of the pull rod 9 passes through the hole on the top wall of the inner sleeve 15, the spring 17 and the hole on the bottom wall of the outer sleeve 7 in sequence, that is, the lower end of the pull rod 9 passes through the bottom of the outer sleeve 7. In this embodiment, the hole on the guide block 13 is a hexagonal hole and its size is larger than the hole on the top wall of the inner sleeve 15. Correspondingly, the terminal at the top of the pull rod 9 is a hexagonal terminal, which falls into the hexagonal hole and the bottom abuts against the top wall of the inner sleeve 15.

[0032] A trigger rod 3 is installed on the top of the pull rod 9, and a trigger plate 2 is installed on the trigger rod 3, and also includes a contact switch 4 that cooperates with the trigger plate 2. When the pull rod 9 is subjected to a downward pulling force and reaches the aforementioned set pulling force limit, the pull rod 9, the trigger rod 3, and the trigger plate 2 have a tendency to move along the axial direction. When an actual action occurs, the contact switch 4 is triggered and generates a trigger signal, which is sent to the control system through a cable.

[0033] In this embodiment, an external thread is provided at the lower part of the pull rod 9, and a tension setting lock nut 8 is provided at the upper part of the exposed section of the pull rod 9, and the tension setting lock nut 8 contacts the bottom of the outer sleeve 7. The tension limit value is set by adjusting the position of the tension setting lock nut 8 on the pull rod 9. When the tension setting lock nut 8 is displaced upward on the pull rod 9, the internal spring 17 is further compressed, the elastic force of the spring 17 increases, and the set tension limit value increases accordingly. Conversely, when the tension setting lock nut 8 is displaced downward on the pull rod 9, the internal spring 17 is stretched, the elastic force of the spring 17 decreases, and the set tension limit value decreases accordingly. As shown in the figure, the tension setting lock nut 8 includes two upper and lower nuts. When adjusting, first loosen the lower nut, then rotate the upper nut, and then tighten the lower nut after setting (therefore, the upper nut can be called an adjustment nut, and the lower nut is a lock nut that produces a locking effect). The form of double lock nuts can effectively avoid loosening.

[0034] In this embodiment, in order to display the set tension limit value, an indicating scale 6 is provided on the outer wall of the outer sleeve 7 and the side of the guide bar hole 7-1, and the convex ridge on the outer side of the guide block 13 serves as a pointer that cooperates with the indicating scale 6. By providing the indicating scale 6, the set tension limit value can be intuitively displayed. When the set tension limit value is larger, the convex ridge as the pointer moves downward along the guide bar hole 7-1, so the scale value below the indicating scale 6 is larger than the scale value above. The indicating scale 6 is calibrated by measuring the tension limiting device.

[0035] A lifting ring 11 is installed at the bottom of the pull rod 9. The lifting ring 11 is used to connect the cable and improve the convenience of connection between the cable and the tension limiting device. In this embodiment, the lifting ring 11 includes a base and a sleeve located below the base. A threaded hole is provided in the middle of the base. The lower end of the pull rod 9 is threadedly connected to the base and locked by a lower lock nut 10. Further, as shown in the figure, a connecting ring 12 is provided on the sleeve of the lifting ring 11. The connecting ring 12 is connected to the cable by a cable. In order to improve the convenience of connection, the connecting ring 12 adopts a shackle structure, and a notch that can be opened and closed is provided on its ring body. When installing it on the lifting ring 11, the sleeve is passed through the notch on the connecting ring 12. After releasing its closed connector, the connecting ring 12 will not detach from the lifting ring 11 by itself.

[0036] A threaded hole is provided in the middle of the end of the pull rod 9. The trigger rod 3 is a threaded rod, and its lower end is threadedly connected to the end of the pull rod 9 and locked by a locking nut 14. A threaded hole is provided in the middle of the trigger plate 2. The trigger rod 3 and the trigger plate 2 are threadedly connected. A trigger plate locking nut 16 is provided below the trigger plate 2 to lock its position. Therefore, the position of the trigger plate 2 on the trigger rod 3 can be adjusted up and down. Generally, the trigger plate 2 needs to be located at a position just in contact with the end of the trigger arm of the contact switch 4. Therefore, when the tightness of the spring 17 is adjusted to set the tension limit, the axial position of the pull rod 9 and the trigger rod 3 will change, while the position of the contact switch 4 remains unchanged. Therefore, the position of the trigger plate 2 needs to be adjusted. Specifically, the trigger plate locking nut 16 is first loosened, and then the trigger plate 2 is rotated to move the position on the trigger rod 3. After the position is appropriate, the trigger plate locking nut 16 is tightened again.

[0037] It also includes a mounting bracket installed inside the tower and a protective frame for protecting the trigger plate 2, the trigger rod 3 and the contact switch 4. The device is installed and fixed inside the wind turbine tower using a mounting bracket, and the protective frame is provided to prevent the trigger plate 2, the trigger rod 3 and the contact switch 4 from being damaged or deformed by collision with external forces.

[0038] In this embodiment, the protective frame is a first protective frame 1, which includes a first top plate 1-2, a first bottom plate 1-3 and a first pillar 1-1 located between the four corners thereof. The first top plate 1-2 is arranged parallel to the first bottom plate 1-3, and the upper end of the first pillar 1-1 is welded and fixed to the first top plate 1-2, and the lower end is welded and fixed to the first bottom plate 1-3.

[0039] A first window 1-4 is provided in the middle of the first top plate 1-2, a window is provided in the middle of the first bottom plate 1-3, and the upper end of the outer sleeve 7 is located in the window and welded and fixed, and the contact switch 4 is installed on the first bottom plate 1-3. As shown in the figure, the trigger plate 2, the trigger rod 3 and the contact switch 4 are located inside the first protective frame 1 and are protected.

[0040] In this embodiment, the mounting bracket is a side-mounted bracket 5, and the side-mounted bracket 5 allows the tension limiting device to be installed sideways. The side-mounted bracket 5 includes an I-shaped bracket side plate 5-1 and a bracket bottom plate 5-2. A window is provided in the middle of the bracket bottom plate 5-2, and the lower end of the outer sleeve 7 is located in the window and welded and fixed. The upper edge of the bracket side plate 5-2 is welded and fixed to the rear edge of the first bottom plate 1-3, and the lower edge of the bracket side plate 5-1 is welded and fixed to the rear edge of the bracket bottom plate 5-2. A plurality of mounting holes are provided on the bracket side plate 5-1.

[0041] When the tension limiting device in this embodiment is installed in the wind turbine tower, the side-mounted bracket 5 located on the side of the main body is fixedly connected to the tower facility, so it is used in a side-mounted manner.

[0042] Embodiment 2

[0043] The structure of the main body of the tension limiting device in this embodiment is the same as that of the main body in the first embodiment. The difference lies in the installation method. The longitudinal installation method is adopted in this embodiment.

[0044] In this embodiment, the protective frame is a second protective frame 18, which is also used as a mounting bracket. The second protective frame 18 includes a second top plate 18-2, a second bottom plate 18-3, and a second support 18-1 located between the four corners of the second top plate 18-2. A second window 18-4 is provided in the middle of the second top plate 18-2, a window is provided in the middle of the second bottom plate 18-3, and the upper end of the outer sleeve 7 is located in the window and welded and fixed. The contact switch 4 is installed on the second bottom plate 18-3. As shown in the figure, the trigger plate 2, the trigger rod 3, and the contact switch 4 are located inside the second protective frame 18 and are protected.

[0045] Two specific structural forms and installation methods are provided in the first and second embodiments. When installing in a wind turbine tower, a suitable type is selected for use according to the specific application scenario.

[0046] Working method:

[0047] The tension limiting device is installed at a set position in the wind turbine tower, and the tension limit of the device is set on site according to the engineering design requirements; a cable is connected at a suitable position on the cable, a connecting ring 12 is set at the upper end of the cable, and the connecting ring 12 is connected to the lifting ring 11;

[0048] During the lifting and lowering process of the elevator, if the cable is pulled due to an abnormal operation, the tension on the cable is transmitted to the tension limiting device through the cable. If the tension exceeds the set limit of the device, the pull rod 9 and its accessories move downward, and the spring 17 is further compressed. At the same time, the trigger plate 2 moves downward, and the contact switch 4 is triggered to generate a signal. The signal is sent to the control system through the cable. The control system determines that the cable has an over-pull problem, and then instructs the elevator's hoist device to stop and the elevator to stop moving until the cable tension problem is found and solved, and then restarted.

Claims

1. A cable tension limiting device for a wind turbine tower elevator, characterized in that: The invention comprises an outer sleeve (7) with a bottom seal and a hole at the center, at least one guide strip hole (7-1) extending in the axial direction and not penetrating downward is provided on the side wall of the outer sleeve (7), an inner sleeve (15) with a top seal and a hole at the center is provided inside the outer sleeve (7), a guide block (13) with a hole in the middle is installed on the top of the inner sleeve (15), a convex ridge falling into the guide strip hole (7-1) is provided on the outer wall of the guide block (13), and a spring (17) is provided between the top wall of the inner sleeve (15) and the bottom wall of the outer sleeve (7); and the invention also comprises a spring (17) with a spring (17) at the top end. A pull rod (9) at the end, the end is located in the hole of the guide block (13), the middle part of which passes through the hole on the top wall of the inner sleeve (15), the spring (17) and the hole on the bottom wall of the outer sleeve (7) in sequence, a trigger rod (3) is installed on the top of the pull rod (9), a trigger plate (2) is installed on the trigger rod (3), a lifting ring (11) is installed on the bottom of the pull rod (9), and also includes a contact switch (4) that cooperates with the trigger plate (2); it also includes a mounting bracket installed inside the tower and a protective frame for protecting the trigger plate (2), the trigger rod (3) and the contact switch (4).

2. The cable tension limiting device for a wind turbine tower elevator according to claim 1, characterized in that: Two guide strip holes (7-1) are provided on the outer sleeve (7) and are spaced 180 degrees apart in the circumferential direction. The guide block (13) is fixedly connected to the inner sleeve (15) by screws. Two convex edges are provided on the outer wall of the guide block (13) and are spaced 180 degrees apart in the circumferential direction.

3. The cable tension limiting device for a wind turbine tower elevator according to claim 2, characterized in that: An external thread is provided at the lower part of the pull rod (9), and a tension setting lock nut (8) is provided at the upper part of the exposed section of the pull rod (9). The tension setting lock nut (8) contacts the bottom of the outer sleeve (7).

4. The cable tension limiting device for a wind turbine tower elevator according to claim 3, characterized in that: A threaded hole is provided in the middle of the end of the pull rod (9); the trigger rod (3) is a threaded rod, the lower end of which is threadedly connected to the end of the pull rod (9) and locked by a locking nut (14); a threaded hole is provided in the middle of the trigger plate (2); the trigger rod (3) and the trigger plate (2) are threadedly connected, and a trigger plate locking nut (16) is provided below the trigger plate (2).

5. The cable tension limiting device for a wind turbine tower elevator according to claim 4, characterized in that: The lifting ring (11) comprises a base and a sleeve ring located below the base. A threaded hole is provided in the middle of the base. The lower end of the pull rod (9) is threadedly connected to the base and locked with a lower lock nut (10).

6. The cable tension limiting device for a wind turbine tower elevator according to claim 4, characterized in that: An indicating scale (6) is provided on the outer wall of the outer sleeve (7) and on the side of the guide bar hole (7-1), and a convex ridge on the outer side of the guide block (13) serves as a pointer that cooperates with the indicating scale (6).

7. The cable tension limiting device for a wind turbine tower elevator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The protective frame is a first protective frame (1), the first protective frame (1) comprises a first top plate (1-2), a first bottom plate (1-3) and a first pillar (1-1) located between the four corners of the first top plate (1-2), a first window (1-4) is provided in the middle of the first top plate (1-2), a window is provided in the middle of the first bottom plate (1-3) and the upper end of the outer sleeve (7) is located in the window and is fixed by welding, and the contact switch (4) is installed on the first bottom plate (1-3); the mounting bracket is a side-mounted bracket (5), comprising an I-shaped bracket side plate (5-1) and a bracket bottom plate (5-2), a window is provided in the middle of the bracket bottom plate (5-2) and the lower end of the outer sleeve (7) is located in the window and is fixed by welding, the upper edge of the bracket side plate (5-1) is fixed by welding to the rear edge of the first bottom plate (1-3), and the lower edge of the bracket side plate (5-1) is fixed by welding to the rear edge of the bracket bottom plate (5-2).

8. The cable tension limiting device for a wind turbine tower elevator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The protective frame is a second protective frame (18), and the second protective frame (18) also serves as a mounting bracket; the second protective frame (18) comprises a second top plate (18-2), a second bottom plate (18-3) and a second support (18-1) located between the four corners of the second top plate (18-2), a second window (18-4) is provided in the middle of the second top plate (18-2), a window is provided in the middle of the second bottom plate (18-3) and the upper end of the outer sleeve (7) is located in the window and is welded and fixed, and the contact switch (4) is installed on the second bottom plate (18-3).

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