Multi-part Anchor Head for Wind Turbine Tension Cords

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing anchor designs for prestressed concrete structures, such as wind turbine towers, face challenges in providing a simple yet secure method for attaching tension cords while minimizing space requirements and protecting against environmental influences.

Innovation Solution

A multi-part anchor head with a perforated disk and transition plate, featuring securing sleeves and a locking washer, ensures secure anchoring and protection of tension cords, with distinct identification features for cord differentiation to maintain parallel alignment and prevent crossings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a multi-part anchor head with perforated disk and transition plate is used, then secure anchoring and protection against environmental influences is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecure anchoringVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The anchor head is divided into multiple functional parts: a perforated disk for anchoring, a transition plate for guidance, and a locking washer for securing. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining overall reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The transition plate is positioned within the perforated disk structure, and the locking washer secures the transition plate. This nested arrangement provides protection against environmental influences while maintaining a compact design that doesn't excessively increase overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If securing sleeves are added to passages for automatic anchoring, then anchoring reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanchoring reliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The securing sleeves are designed to automatically anchor tension cords when inserted into the passages. The sleeves self-adjust to secure the cords without requiring additional manual intervention or complex anchoring mechanisms, thereby improving reliability while minimizing the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If identification features are provided on tension cords, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Different tension cords are provided with distinct identification features such as color codes or markings. This allows operators to easily distinguish between different cords during installation and maintenance, improving ease of operation without adding mechanical complexity to the anchoring system itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

4Manufacturing precision

If multiple disks with passages are used for separate cord passage, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing precisionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The anchor head uses multiple disks (perforated disk and transition plate), each with precisely manufactured passages for separate tension cord passage. This segmentation allows each disk to be manufactured with high precision independently, ensuring proper cord alignment and separation while keeping the overall assembly manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2935719B1Anchor, tensioning device, wind turbine and method for putting tensile element strands under tensile stress on an anchor
Publication Date: 2017.08.09 WOBBEN PROPERTIES GMBH
  • EP2935719B1 patent drawingFigure 1(A)~2
  • EP2935719B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2935719B1 patent drawingFigure 4(A)~4(B)

AI summary

The application relates to an anchor, in particular a stationary anchor, for a tensioning device that is designed to be mounted on a building structure in order to retain tensile element strands, such as cable strands, rods, in particular tensile strands, tie-rods, or the like, on the anchor. Said anchor comprises a multi-part anchor head which includes an anchor plate in the form of a perforated disk that has a through-hole for separately guiding a tensile element strand therethrough, said through-hole being one of a number of through-holes and the tensile element strand being one of a number of tensile element strands. The anchor head further includes an intermediate disk which is arranged on one side of the perforated disk and which has an additional through-hole for separately guiding the tensile element strand therethrough, said additional through-hole being one of a number of additional through-holes in the intermediate disk and the tensile element strand being the one of the aforementioned number of tensile element strands. According to the invention, the intermediate disk is designed as a transition plate which carries a securing sleeve at least in the additional through-hole, said securing sleeve being designed to automatically anchor the tensile element strand under tensile stress.