Reinforced Connections for Wind Turbine Stability
76 patents in this list
Updated:
Wind turbine connections face extreme mechanical stresses, with blade-root bolts experiencing cyclical loads exceeding 1,600 MPa and pitch bearings managing multi-directional forces across connection interfaces. These critical joints must maintain structural integrity while accommodating thermal expansion, vibration, and decades of operational cycles in harsh environments.
The fundamental challenge lies in designing connection systems that distribute loads effectively while remaining serviceable and manufacturable at the scale of modern turbines.
This page brings together solutions from recent research—including segmented pitch rings with bridge elements, reinforced aperture designs using fiber materials, vacuum-assisted bonding techniques, and modular connection systems with integrated maintenance access. These and other approaches focus on improving durability while addressing the practical constraints of manufacturing and maintaining large-scale wind turbine components.
1. Wind Turbine Locking Nut with Integrated Wind Pin and Chute Mechanism
NINGBO HISENSE FASTENER CO LTD, 2024
Wind turbine locking nut design to prevent bolts from loosening during turbine operation due to vibrations. The nut has a wind pin feature that inserts into the bolt and prevents rotation when the nut is tightened. This prevents loosening of the bolt-nut connection when the turbine blades rotate. The wind pin extends through the nut and slides into a chute on the bolt. A mounting ring separates the wind pin from the nut and then is pulled back to slide the wind pin into the nut chute. This fixes the wind pin in place inside the nut and prevents rotation when the nut is tightened.
2. Threaded Connection Structure with Gradually Varying Thread Thickness and Stiffness for Wind Turbine Blades
CHONGQING DUANCHANG TECH CO LTD, CHONGQING DUANCHANG TECHNOLOGY CO LTD, 2024
Threaded connection structure for wind turbine blades that improves strength and reduces stress concentration compared to standard threads. The connection uses a double-ended stud and a threaded sleeve. The stud has sections with gradually varying thread thickness and stiffness. The thicker, stiffer section is closer to the center of the stud. The sleeve threads engage both sections. This gradual transition of thread properties distributes the tightening force over more threads and reduces plastic deformation.
3. Stud Bolt Assembly with Integrated Limiting Mechanism and Adhesive Injection Capability
YANGZHOU DAFA SCREW CO LTD, 2023
A stud bolt design for wind turbine blades that reduces loosening and improves stability during vibration. The stud bolt has a top threaded rod with a through hole, a bottom threaded rod, and a side rod connecting them. A limiting mechanism on the side rod prevents the top and bottom rods from separating. The mechanism includes a sliding plate, limiting hole, limiting rod, and adjusting plate. Glue can be injected through the through hole to secure the rods to the workpieces. This prevents loosening due to vibration by mechanically locking the rods together.
4. Stud Bolt with Integrated Screw and Torsion Mechanism for Wind Turbine Blade Fastening
NINGBO WANLI HIGH STRENGTH FASTENER CO LTD, NINGBO WANLI HIGH-STRENGTH FASTENER CO LTD, 2023
Large-size stud bolt for wind turbine blades that has an integrated design to improve fastening and prevent loosening during operation of heavy blades. The stud bolt has a main body with an integrated screw and connector. The screw threads into the base and the other end penetrates the blade. A rotating head attaches to the main body. A torsion gear engages with the rotating head. When tightening the bolt, the head rotates the torsion gear which drives a two-way screw rod. This in turn moves two pressing heads toward the blade holes to clamp them together. This provides additional tightening force to prevent loosening when the blades rotate.
5. Double-Ended Stud with Asymmetric Thread Types for Fatigue Resistance in Wind Turbine Blade Root Connections
ENVISION ENERGY LTD, 2023
Fatigue-resistant double-ended stud for wind turbine blade root connections that prevent fatigue failure of bolts compared to traditional bolts. The stud has inconsistent thread types at each end. One end has a blind hole thread fitting and the other end has a nut fitting. This allows the stud to be inserted into a blind hole on one component like a blade or pitch bearing and then secured with a nut on the other component like the hub or outer ring nut. The inconsistent thread types prevent the stud from unthreading during vibration and fatigue cycles. This prevents bolts from loosening and failing compared to traditional bolts with matched thread ends.
6. Dual-Threaded Blade Bolt with Opposing Rotational Threads and Staggered Nut Engagement
ZHEJIANG XINTAI STANDARD PARTS CO LTD, 2023
Blade bolt pair and wind blade connection mechanism that prevents loosening and provides better stability compared to conventional blade bolts. The blade bolt has threads at both ends, but they rotate in opposite directions. This prevents the bolts from loosening because the threads at each end engage different nuts. The bolts also have blind holes at both ends to allow hex wrenches to access the nuts. The nuts have top surfaces that are staggered to prevent them from contacting when tightened.
7. Circumferential Bolt Sleeve Installation Structure with Wedge Strips and Limit Blocks for Wind Turbine Blade Roots
DONGFANG ELECTRIC TIANJIN WIND POWER BLADE ENG CO LTD, DONGFANG ELECTRIC WIND POWER BLADE ENGINEERING CO LTD, 2023
Blade root pre-embedded bolt sleeve installation structure for wind turbine blades to improve blade root strength and prevent bolt sleeve pullout. The structure involves arranging multiple bolt sleeves circumferentially at the blade root, with wedge strips between adjacent sleeves and limit blocks to prevent relative movement. This provides multiple bolt interfaces to distribute load and prevent single sleeve pullout.
8. Wind Turbine Blade Root Bolt Sleeve with Dual Screw Sections for Enhanced Connection Structure
New Carbon Valley Group Co., Ltd., 2023
Wind turbine blade root bolt sleeve and connection structure to improve blade-hub joint strength and longevity. The blade root bolt sleeve has a main screw section embedded in the blade root and a secondary screw section protruding from the blade end. Bolts through both sections connect the blade to the hub. This provides additional reinforcement compared to just a single embedded section. The raised secondary section and parallel auxiliary screw protrude from the blade end. The line connecting their centers points to the blade root center. This configuration increases bolt load capacity and prevents fractures compared to a single embedded section.
9. Threaded Bolts with Sliding Material Composition and Bushing Assemblies for Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Connections
NORDEX ENERGY GMBH, NORDEX BLADE TECHNOLOGY CENTRE APS, 2023
Threaded bolts for wind turbine rotor blade connections that prevent seizure and simplify manufacturing. The bolts are made of a sliding material like brass instead of steel. This allows the bolts to move slightly without binding when the blades flex, preventing capture and seizure. The bolts are also designed for threading into bushings with a sliding material outer rose. This reduces friction and prevents seizure compared to using steel bolts. The bolts can be formed as one piece or as a separate threaded bushing fixed to a main bolt. The sliding material outer rose prevents the bolt from binding in the bushing assemblies.
10. Wind Turbine Blade and Pitch Bearing Coupling with Coaxial Bolt Sections for Eccentricity Control
CIATEQ A C CENTRO DE TECNOLOGIA AVANZADA, CIATEQ AC Center for Advanced Technology, 2023
Coupling between a wind turbine blade and pitch bearing that reduces eccentricity between blade root and bearing holes to prevent bolt failure due to alternating loads. The coupling has a specially designed bolt with two coaxial sections perpendicular to the blade's longitudinal axis. The inner section aligns with the blade root hole, while the outer section aligns with the bearing hole. This allows the bolt to slide longitudinally between the sections during assembly to account for misalignment. The concentric shoulders in the holes control eccentricity and prevent bending stresses on the bolt.
11. Pre-Embedded Bolt Connection Structure with Misaligned Hole Adapter Flange for Wind Turbine Blades
UNIV WUXI TAIHU, WUXI TAIHU UNIVERSITY, 2023
A pre-embedded bolt connection structure for large wind turbine blades that allows increased blade diameter without adding many bolts. The structure uses an adapter flange with misaligned holes in the blade root and hub connections. The flange has bolts that pass through the blade root holes and into the blade root prefabricated components. It also has bolts that pass through the hub hole and the flange's hub hole. This integrates the blade root and hub connections without needing extra bolts on the blade root. The prefabricated components inside the blade root provide a fixed position for the flange misalignment.
12. Wind Turbine Blade Fixing Device with Thickened Flange and Positioning Pins
HUANENG XINHUA POWER GENERATION CO LTD, 2023
Wind turbine blade fixing device that reduces bolt failure and improves blade reliability by modifying the blade root and flange design. The device uses a thickened flange with positioning pins and a set screw to secure the blade root attachment. This prevents flange misalignment and dislocation issues that cause bolt fractures. The thickened flange also provides a stronger connection point for the bolts. The device involves modifying the blade root and flange structure to eliminate flange misalignment, prevent bolt fractures, and improve blade reliability.
13. Bolt Connection Device with Compressible Wrapping Member and Tapered Holes for Automatic Preload Restoration
BEIJING SANLI XINNENG ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT CO LTD, 2022
Maintenance-free bolt connection device for wind turbines that prevents loosening of bolts in wind turbines without requiring frequent tightening. The device uses a compressible wrapping member between the nut and connected member that shrinks when tightened and expands when loosened. This allows automatic restoration of preload force when the bolt compresses due to load. The wrapping member moves along tapered holes in the nut and connected member to maintain tension. The wrapping member prevents loosening by elastically deforming and expanding as the bolt compresses, then compresses back as the bolt loosens.
14. Rotor Blade Connection with Expandable Sleeve and Prestressed Insert Assembly
NEW WIND ENERGY ENG SOLUTION CO, NEW WIND ENERGY ENGINEERING SOLUTION CO, 2022
Rotor blade connection for wind turbines that uses an expandable sleeve to connect the blade root to the hub. The blade has multiple inserts along the root that are prestressed with bolts to connect to the hub. An expandable sleeve is inserted between the blade insert and the bolt connection. This allows the sleeve to expand and fill gaps during assembly, providing a secure and leak-proof connection. The sleeve connects to the glued blade insert at the root and then threads onto the bolt for attachment. This prevents rotation and provides a fixed connection.
15. Integrated Bolt-Nut Assembly with Reinforced Thread Segment and Arc Transition for Wind Power Applications
ZHEJIANG TRIPOD AUTOMOBILE FASTENER LIMITED CO, ZHEJIANG TRIPOD AUTOMOBILE FASTENER LTD CO, 2022
Large-sized high-strength bolt connection for wind power applications like wind turbines that improves strength and fatigue resistance while reducing weight compared to conventional bolts. The bolt has a unique thread segment design with a reinforcement groove. This reduces bending under radial forces. The nut and bolt are made in one piece. The nut has lower and upper gaskets that contact the connected pieces instead of just the nut surface. This increases connection stability. The bolt has a smooth, arc, transition, and threaded segments in that order. The smooth segment connects to the nut bottom. The arc segments reduce bending. The threaded segment has a reinforcement groove.
16. Wind Turbine Pitch Bearing Connection with Double-Ended Stud and Variable Thread Pitch Nut
CSIC HAIZHUANG WINDPOWER CO LTD, 2022
Wind turbine pitch bearing bolt connection system that improves the reliability and durability of the pitch bearing bolts. The system uses a double-ended stud with a larger diameter sleeve that surrounds the stud portion going through the pitch bearing. A custom nut with variable thread pitch is used to secure the sleeve and stud. This prevents the bolts from loosening due to vibration and load cycling. The larger sleeve diameter prevents the bolts from backing out of the pitch bearing holes. The variable thread pitch nut allows adjustment to tighten the connection.
17. Spherical Wind Turbine Hub with Integrated Pitch Bearing Mounting Surfaces
WUXI HUANENG HEAT ENERGY EQUIPMENT CO LTD, 2022
A hub structure for large wind turbines that improves the connection strength between the hub and the pitch bearings, reducing maintenance needs. The hub has a spherical shape with three pitch bearing mounting surfaces evenly spaced around the circumference. This allows direct attachment of the pitch bearings to the hub without intermediary bolts. The spherical shape provides a tight fit and secure connection between the hub and bearings, preventing loosening or disconnection.
18. Wind Turbine Shaft-Hub Connection Structure with Dual-Threaded Studs for Simplified Maintenance
DONGFANG ELECTRIC WIND POWER CO LTD, 2022
A connection structure between the main shaft and hub of a wind turbine that allows easier repair and maintenance of the shaft-hub connection compared to traditional bolted connections. The structure uses a stud instead of bolts to connect the main shaft and hub. The stud has threads on both ends that fit into threaded holes in the shaft and hub. This allows the stud to be easily inserted and removed from the pre-existing blind holes in the shaft and hub, enabling repair and replacement of damaged threads without needing to remove the entire shaft or hub. This reduces maintenance costs and downtime compared to replacing the entire hub or shaft due to thread damage.
19. Wind Turbine Tower Bolt Assembly with Grooved Nut and Bolt and Securing Blocks
NINGBO DONGXIN HIGH STRENGTH NUT CO LTD, NINGBO DONGXIN HIGH-STRENGTH NUT CO LTD, 2022
Wind turbine tower bolt assembly to prevent loosening of the fasteners due to vibration. The assembly has a unique shape for the bolt and nut grooves with blocking and limit components that prevent the nut from sliding. A clamping block engages the nut groove, and a positioning block contacts the bolt groove. Sliding and telescopic springs secure the blocks. This prevents nut loosening during long-term vibrations in wind turbine towers.
20. Multi-Headed Bolt with Nested Heads and Hastelloy Sleeve for Corrosion and Wear Resistance
HAIYAN YIHUI HARDWARE TECH CO LTD, HAIYAN YIHUI HARDWARE TECHNOLOGY CO LTD, 2022
Wind power bolt with corrosion resistance and wear resistance for use in harsh environments. The bolt has multiple bolt heads at the top, each with a nested third bolt head. The bolt heads are connected inline. A Hastelloy protective sleeve surrounds the bolt heads. The bolt connection ring below the heads attaches to the ring. The bolt body is hollow and has nested washers and spacers below the connection ring. This design provides multiple bolt head surfaces for attachment points, a protective sleeve, and washers/spacers for wear resistance.
The wind turbine connection fortification techniques shown in this collection of patents are diverse. Certain components are strengthened in isolation; for example, high-strength rods can be integrated into the blades themselves, or blade apertures can be strengthened with fiber ropes. Others discuss creative ideas for bolt sleeve applications to improve blade-hub couplings or adhesive application techniques to increase bonding.
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