The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 10, 2013
Filed:
May. 01, 2009
Jason Cotrell, Golden, CO (US);
Scott Hughes, Golden, CO (US);
Sandy Butterfield, Golden, CO (US);
Scott Lambert, Boulder, CO (US);
Jason Cotrell, Golden, CO (US);
Scott Hughes, Golden, CO (US);
Sandy Butterfield, Golden, CO (US);
Scott Lambert, Boulder, CO (US);
Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC, Golden, CO (US);
Abstract
A system () for fatigue testing wind turbine blades () through forced or resonant excitation of the base () of a blade (). The system () includes a test stand () and a restoring spring assembly () mounted on the test stand (). The restoring spring assembly () includes a primary spring element () that extends outward from the test stand () to a blade mounting plate () configured to receive a base () of blade (). During fatigue testing, a supported base () of a blade () may be pivotally mounted to the test stand () via the restoring spring assembly (). The system () may include an excitation input assembly () that is interconnected with the blade mounting plate () to selectively apply flapwise, edgewise, and/or pitch excitation forces. The restoring spring assembly () may include at least one tuning spring member () positioned adjacent to the primary spring element () used to tune the spring constant or stiffness of the primary spring element () in one of the excitation directions.