EP4214426A1

EP4214426A1 - Elastomer bushing, bearing bushing arrangement and wind turbine bearing for wind turbines

Info

Publication number: EP4214426A1
Application number: EP21778057.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michael SCHÄDDEL; Wolfgang Spatzig; Friedhelm Schreiber
Original assignee: Effbe GmbH
Current assignee: Effbe GmbH
Priority date: 2020-09-18
Filing date: 2021-09-16
Publication date: 2023-07-26
Also published as: WO2022058431A1; DE102020124456A1

Abstract

A bearing bushing for movably connecting a generator-side component to a foundation-side component of a wind turbine, comprising an elastomer body (6) with a cavity, surrounded by the elastomer material, for axially receiving a generator-side or foundation-side bearing pin (34), and a wall thickness (22), which is defined by an inner side of the hollow elastomer body (6) and its outer side, decreases at least in some portions in the axial direction of the elastomer body (6).

Description

elastomer bushing. Bearing bush assembly and wind turbine bearings for wind turbines

The present invention relates to a bearing bush for movably connecting a generator-side component and a foundation-side component of a wind turbine and wind turbine bearings for supporting a generator of a wind turbine on a foundation-side support structure of the wind turbine, and a bearing bush arrangement and a wind turbine.

In wind turbines, a high torque is usually transmitted from the rotor to the generator via a gearbox. Elastic bushings are usually used to reduce the dynamic loads on the gearbox and supporting structure. The elastic bushings serve to isolate oscillation and vibration. For this purpose, a wind turbine bearing for a machine train of the wind turbine has, for example, a flange with fastening openings. Fastening units, in particular threaded rods, are fastened in the passage openings by means of elastomer bodies which serve as dampers. Furthermore, the fastening elements are connected to the supporting structure, in particular the housing of the wind turbine, in particular screwed.

A wind turbine bearing is known from EP 2 352 930 Bi, in which a flange is clamped to the gear via two elastomer bodies. At least one of the elastomer bodies is conically shaped and has an angle of approximately 45 ^° in order to be able to transmit forces acting radially and axially to the one axial direction between the flange and the transmission.

It is the object of the present invention to improve the disadvantages of the known prior art, in particular a bearing bush and a wind turbine bearing and to provide a wind turbine that takes up less space, can be produced inexpensively and at the same time allows the damping effect of the bearing bush to be adjusted in the radial and axial directions.

This object is solved by the features of the independent claims.

Preferred embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

Such a bearing bush is suitable for movably holding a generator-side component and a foundation-side component of a wind turbine. In this case, the bearing bush comprises an elastomer body with a cavity surrounded by the elastomer material for axially receiving a bearing bolt on the generator side or on the foundation side. A wall thickness defined by an inside of the hollow elastomer body and its outside decreases at least in sections in the axial direction of the elastomer body.

Such a bearing bush stores the generator-side component damped in all spatial directions in relation to the foundation-side component of the wind turbine. The generator-side component is preferably part of the machine train of the wind turbine, which includes the rotor, the generator and transmission elements arranged between them, such as a gearbox, a shaft or a clutch.

The bearing bush is preferably part of the wind turbine bearing for storing the generator-side component of a machine train of the wind turbine on a support structure of the wind turbine, which is preferably formed by the housing of the wind turbine. The housing can be part of the nacelle of the wind turbine, for example, and the generator-side component can be a shaft bearing or a gearbox of the wind turbine, for example.

The wind turbine bearing thus supports a generator-side component in an elastically damped manner on a foundation-side support structure. Furthermore, the support structure can be firmly connected to the nacelle, the tower or the foundation of the wind turbine. The generator-side component can be a shaft bearing for a drive shaft of the machine train. The shaft bearing preferably has a bearing opening in which the shaft of the machine train is mounted. Preferably, the engine mount comprises a mounting flange which is, for example, integral with the generator-side and/or the foundation-side component. The mounting flange includes at least one mounting opening, which is preferably designed as a mounting hole. The bearing bush can be positioned in the fastening opening, for example in a pre-assembly step.

A fastening unit with a bearing pin, for example a threaded rod, can be guided through the bearing bush. The fastening unit preferably has a thread at least at one end, which thread can be screwed into a counter-thread provided for this purpose in the supporting structure. At that end of the fastening unit opposite the thread, a screw head or another stop is provided, for example, which can be brought into contact with the flange in order to press against it.

The decreasing wall thickness of the bearing bush ensures particularly advantageous properties of the bearing bush when the elastomer body is axially compressed in the axial direction. In particular, a uniform force distribution of the radial forces along the axial direction between the bearing bush and the fastening unit and/or the fastening opening of the fastening flange is caused. A further advantage of the decreasing wall thickness is that the bearing bush can be prevented from becoming wedged in the fastening opening when it is braced.

The elastomeric body is preferably annular in cross-section viewed along the axial direction. For example, the side lines of the ring are circles or ellipses. It is also possible that the inner side of the ring is a circle and the outer side is an ellipse.

The wall thickness is the thickness of the material in a radial direction of the elastomeric body, orthogonal to the axial direction.

Compared to previously known elastomeric bodies, such a bearing bush enables clamping by applying a force in the axial direction, which leads to a compression of the elastomeric body in the axial direction. This leads to a radial expansion of the elastomer body. So a previously existing gap between the bearing bush and the mounting flange and / or Fastening unit is at least partially closed and causes a radially acting contact pressure between the bearing bush and the fastening flange and/or the fastening unit. The contact pressure acts from the outside inwards on a preferably essentially cylindrical lateral surface of the fastening unit and from the inside outwards on a preferably essentially cylindrical opening inner surface of the fastening opening.

In a clamped state, the bearing bush preferably has a constant wall thickness, at least in sections, and is more preferably cylindrical, i.e. the bearing bush has no conical outer peripheral surface or inner peripheral surface in the clamped state. The bearing bush preferably consists of the elastomer body. The features defined in the following description for the bearing bush or the elastomeric body are also applicable to the other.

In one embodiment, the elastomeric body comprises the material polyurethane, in particular polyurethane-polyester or polyester-urethane rubber, preferably Urelast. The elastomer body can also consist entirely of this material.

The use of polyurethane, in particular polyurethane-polyester or polyester-urethane rubber, preferably Urelast, as the material for the elastomer body allows for a long service life and short maintenance intervals. In particular in interaction with the other features of this invention, a good damping effect, in particular a vibration decoupling between the supporting structure and the generator-side component, can nevertheless be ensured.

In one embodiment, the outside and/or inside of the elastomeric body is/are at a taper angle of 0.1° to 2.5°, 0.3° to 2.0°, 0.4° to L5°, 0.5° to 1.2° or 0.7° to 0.9°, in particular 0.8° to a reference plane arranged parallel to the axial direction. In this case, the inside is formed by the cavity, which is designed in particular as a bore, and the outside is preferably essentially cylindrical.

The outside and inside of the elastomeric body form an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface tapered at a taper angle of 0.1° to 2.5°, 0.3° to 2.0°, 0.4° to 1.5°, 0 5° to 1.2° or 0.7° to 0.9°, in particular 0.8° to one another. In a mounted state, the outer peripheral surface faces the fastening opening of the flange and the inner peripheral surface faces the fastening unit. Preferably, either the inner peripheral surface, the outer peripheral surface or both has/have a conical shape. The taper angle between the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface is preferably constant around the circumference.

In a further embodiment, the wall thickness decreases continuously over the entire length of the elastomer body along the axial direction. The taper angle is preferably constant over the entire length of the hollow body. Alternatively, the ratio of the tapering section of the elastomeric body along the axial direction and an overall length of the bearing bush can be at least 0.5; 0.7; be 0.8 or 0.9.

In one embodiment, the elastomeric body is made from one piece, that is to say in one piece. In particular, the elastomer body is produced by means of an injection molding process or a mold casting process. Furthermore, the elastomer body can be monolithic.

A one-piece body can be manufactured and assembled inexpensively and easily. The fact that the body is monolithic means that it consists of only one material, for example one of the aforementioned polyurethanes. The design in monolithic form enables a small installation space and an inexpensive and simple production of the bearing bush.

Furthermore, a bearing bush arrangement comprising a plurality, in particular at least 6, 8, 12, 15 or 20 bearing bushes according to one of the previously described embodiments is according to the invention. In this case, the bearing bushes in a clock dial arrangement are arranged in particular equidistantly around an axis of a wind turbine bearing.

Furthermore, a wind power plant bearing for supporting a generator of a wind power plant on a foundation-side support structure of the wind power plant is according to the invention. Such a wind turbine bearing comprises a plurality of bearing bushes and/or a bearing bush arrangement according to one of the previously described embodiments. Here are / is the bearing bushes and / or Bearing bushing assembly located at a mounting interface between the generator and the rotor.

The bearing bush includes an unstressed state in which there is a gap between the elastomer body and the fastening unit and/or between the elastomer body and the fastening flange that decreases in its radial width in the axial direction of the bearing bolt.

Such a wind turbine bearing offers the advantage that it takes up only a small amount of space, can be produced inexpensively and is easy and safe to assemble.

In a preferred embodiment, the wind turbine bearing comprises a bearing bolt that extends at least partially through the elastomer body and a fastening flange with a plurality of fastening openings, in each of which one of the bearing bolts and one of the bearing bushes is arranged, the bearing bushes being in an unstressed state in which the bearing bolts move in the axial direction in its radial width decreasing gap between the elastomeric body and the bearing pin and / or between the elastomeric body and the mounting flange is present at least in sections.

The fastening flange has a plurality, in particular at least or exactly 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 or 16 fastening openings. The fastening flange preferably encloses a bearing opening for accommodating a generator-side component, for example a shaft, of the machine train of the wind turbine. In this case, the fastening openings are preferably arranged in a circular path around the shaft in the fastening flange. The fastening openings can be equidistant from one another along the circular path and/or equidistant from the shaft.

The bearing bush can be in a clamped or an unclamped state. In the braced state, the elastomeric body is compressed along the longitudinal direction compared to the unbraced state. In the unstressed state, the elastomer body is thus preferably essentially not elastically deformed. Furthermore, in the unstressed state, the bearing bush is preferably not subjected to forces acting in the longitudinal direction. The gap that decreases in its radial width is preferably caused by the changing wall thickness of the elastomer body according to one of the previously described embodiments. The term radial refers here, as in the rest of this document, to the bearing pin, which is preferably rotationally symmetrical. The axis of rotation is along the axial direction and the radial direction is orthogonal to it.

The bearing bush is preferably arranged coaxially with the fastening opening and the fastening unit.

In this embodiment, the fastening unit has a cylindrical shape in the section in which it is arranged within the cavity of the elastomeric body, and the fastening opening of the fastening flange is also cylindrical. Thus, either a gap between a tapered outer peripheral surface of the bearing bush and the fastening opening and/or a gap between a tapered inner peripheral surface of the bearing bush and the fastening unit is formed to decrease or increase along the longitudinal direction.

Alternatively or in addition to a bearing bush with a changing wall thickness, the fastening opening and/or the section of the fastening unit arranged within the cavity of the elastomeric body can be made conical instead of cylindrical. In such an embodiment, the outer peripheral surface and/or the inner peripheral surface of the bearing bush can be embodied as cylindrical.

In another embodiment, the width of the gap increases at a gap angle of 0.1° to 2.5°, 0.3° to 2.0°, 0.4° to 1.5°, 0.5° to 1. 2° or 0.7° to 0.9°, in particular 0.8°.

The outside and/or inside of the elastomeric body is/are at a taper angle of 0.1° to 2.5°, 0.3° to 2.0°, 0.4° to 1.5°, 0.5° to 1.2° or 0.7° to 0.9°, in particular 0.8° to a reference plane arranged parallel to the axial direction. In this case, the inside is formed by the cavity, which is in particular designed as a bore, and the outside is in particular essentially cylindrical. The reference plane is preferably a cylindrical, imaginary plane arranged coaxially to the bearing pin. These angles/angle ranges of the gap angle prevent the bearing bush from tilting during compression and at the same time enable a uniform force distribution of the radially acting forces which the bearing bush exerts on the fastening unit and the fastening flange.

The gap angle extends between the two walls delimiting the gap, ie the inner peripheral surface and a lateral surface of the fastening unit and/or the outer peripheral surface and an opening wall of the fastening flange. If there is a gap both inside the bearing bush and outside the bearing bush, the specified angle ranges/angles apply to the sum of the gap angles of the inner and outer gap.

In a further embodiment, in a clamped state of the bearing bush, in which the elastomer body is compressed along the axial direction compared to the unclamped state, there is no gap between the bearing bush and the bearing pin at least in a longer section along the axial direction than in the unclamped state Fastening unit or the mounting flange.

The unstressed state is preferably used for the assembly or pre-assembly of the bearing bushes in the fastening flange. The bearing bushes can therefore be inserted into the fastening openings manually and/or with a tool. Furthermore, the fastening units can be inserted into the cavities of the elastomer body manually and/or with a tool. The bearing bushes, the fastening flange and the fastening units can thus be freely movable in relation to one another in the unstressed state. In contrast to this, the bearing bushes, the fastening flange and the fastening units can no longer be moved relative to one another in a clamped state, or only with significantly more force than in the unclamped state, but only according to the elasticity of the elastomer body.

By compressing the bearing bush in the axial direction, the elastomer body expands in the radial direction, i.e. orthogonally to the axial direction, and closes the gap which, as described, surrounds the bearing bush in the radial direction and/or which is surrounded by the bearing bush in the radial direction . If the gap is at least partially closed, the outer peripheral surface of the bearing bush is in contact with the fastening opening and the inner peripheral surface is in contact with the fastening unit.

In the clamped state, the gap can be closed over the entire length of the bearing bush. Alternatively, the gap can only be partially closed by bracing. Thus, the gap can remain along a portion along the axial direction. It is also possible for the bearing bush to have recesses that extend along the longitudinal direction and are not closed by the bracing, so that the gap in the circumferential direction is closed only in sections.

Further compression in the axial direction increases the pressure which the bearing bush exerts in the radial direction outwards on the fastening opening and inwards on the fastening unit. Furthermore, the volume decreases and the elastomer body is compressed overall since it can no longer expand in the radial direction, which increases the stiffness of the elastomer body and reduces the damping effect.

The fastening unit is braced with the fastening flange by the radial pressure of the bearing bush.

The fastening unit is preferably fastened in the axial direction in the fastening opening of the fastening flange only by a frictional force which is caused by the pressure acting in the radial direction.

In one embodiment, the wind turbine bearing also comprises a bracing unit with a first frontal stop that can be brought into contact with a first frontal surface of the bearing bush and a second frontal stop that can be brought into contact with a second frontal surface at the opposite end of the bearing bush, with an axial spacing along the axial direction between the first end stop and the second end stop, in particular by means of a thread unit, is adjustable in length in order to exert a compressive force acting in the axial direction on the bearing bush in order to connect the bearing bolt of the fastening unit to the fastening flange to brace by means of the bearing bush by compressing the elastomeric body in the axial direction.

Each bearing bush can have its own bracing unit. Alternatively, several, preferably all, bearing bushes can also be braced via a bracing unit.

In one embodiment, the bearing bushes, the fastening units and/or the fastening flange are shaped and/or dimensioned in such a way that the bearing bushes can be transferred from the unstressed state to a stressed state by means of the bracing unit(s) and the fastening flange can thus be connected to the fastening units by means of the Bearing bushes can be braced.

The first end stop can extend orthogonally to the axial direction and can be brought into contact with a first end face of the bearing bush. The second end stop, which can be brought into contact with a second end face on the opposite end of the bearing bush, is preferably also aligned orthogonally to the axial direction. An axial distance along the axial direction between the first end-side stop and the second end-side stop can be adjusted in length, in particular by means of a thread unit, in order to exert a compressive force acting in the axial direction on the bearing bush.

The first and/or second end stop can extend over the entire first or second end face of the bearing bush. Alternatively, the first and/or second end stop can extend over parts of the first or second end face of the bearing bush. In particular, an outer ring of the first and/or second end faces can protrude beyond the first and/or second stop.

Preferably, at least 80%, 90% or 95% of the first and/or second end face of the bearing bush is covered by the first and/or second end stop when the bearing bush is in a clamped state. In a non-stressed state can / can a contact surface / contact surfaces of the first and / or second end stop, with which this / these with is/are in contact with the face surfaces of the bearing bushes, be the same as, larger or smaller than/than the face surfaces of the bearing bushes.

The first or second end stop can be firmly connected to the rest of the fastening unit in the axial direction, in particular can be designed in one piece with the rest of the fastening unit or parts of the rest of the fastening unit. The respective other end stop can be movably but fixably mounted on the fastening unit in the axial direction. For example, the movable end stop can have an internal thread, which is arranged on an external thread of the fastening unit.

In the unstressed state of the bearing bush, the first and/or the second end stop are preferably located outside of the fastening opening. When the bearing bush is in a clamped state, the first and/or second end stop is preferably located within the fastening opening.

In one embodiment, the fastening unit comprises a bearing bolt and a sleeve which is fastened to the bearing bolt and forms a second end stop. In this case, the bearing bolt has a fastening end, preferably a thread, by means of which it can be connected to the supporting structure of the wind turbine.

The fastening unit can be designed in one piece or in several pieces. In terms of a precise and yet cost-effective manufacturing process, it is possible to use a bearing bolt, preferably a threaded rod, on which a sleeve is fitted. The sleeve then forms possible shoulders, stops and the contact surface with the bearing bush.

The sleeve can be attached to the bearing pin via a thread, an interference fit, a welded connection or in some other way. The bearing bolt can have one or more threads. At least one thread is preferably provided at one end of the bearing bolt in order to connect the bearing bolt to the supporting structure of the wind turbine. The same or another thread can be used to attach the sleeve to the bearing pin. The same or another thread as for fastening the sleeve or the supporting structure can be used to fasten and guide the first and/or second end stop. In one embodiment, the first end stop is screwed onto the sleeve or the bearing bolt by means of a thread. In addition, the axial distance between the first and the second end stop can be adjusted. Furthermore, in particular the first front-side stop is in contact with a front-side surface of the bearing bush at which the gap is greatest.

The gap between the bearing bush and the fastening unit and/or the fastening flange preferably increases or decreases continuously in or counter to the axial direction. Correspondingly, the gap has its greatest extent in the longitudinal direction at a front end of the bearing bush or at the end of the flange.

Furthermore, to change the axial distance between the first and the second end stop, i.e. to compress the bearing bush, only one of the two end stops can be designed to be movable in relation to the rest of the fastening unit, in particular this is the first end stop.

Arranging the stop, which can be moved to change the longitudinal distance, at the end of the bearing bush with the largest gap or the smallest wall thickness of the elastomer body enables a particularly even distribution of force and reduces the risk of the bearing bush tilting during compression.

In one embodiment, the bearing bush has a smaller volume and/or higher rigidity in a clamped state, in which it is compressed in the axial direction, than in the unclamped state, in which it is not compressed in the axial direction or to a lesser extent .

This means that the stiffness of the damping can also be adjusted by compressing the bearing bush. A bearing bush that is highly compressed in volume behaves more rigidly and allows less elastic spring deflection for movements of the fastening unit in the fastening opening of the fastening flange. At the same time, the compression can also be used to set how high the forces acting axially, ie in the longitudinal direction, may be and which the wind turbine bearing can withstand. In one embodiment of the wind turbine bearing, the lateral surface of the fastening unit and the opening wall of the fastening opening are of cylindrical design.

A wind power plant according to the invention comprises a wind power plant bearing according to one of the embodiments described above. The machine bearing can be fastened to the supporting structure by means of an elastomer bushing with a hollow body, damped in all spatial directions, and an elastomer bushing with a hollow body is arranged in each of the fastening openings of the first or second fastening flange, and a fastening unit with a fastening bolt passes through the hollow body and has a fastening end in a fastening opening of the other fastening flange in each case and the elastomer bushing is, by compressing the elastomer bushing by means of the fastening unit, between an unstressed state in which there is a gap between the elastomer bushing and the fastening unit and/or between the elastomer bushing that decreases in its radial width in a longitudinal direction of the hollow body and the fastening flange, and a clamped state in which the gap along the longitudinal direction is at least shorter than in the unclamped state, adjustable. Furthermore, the gap can be completely closed in the clamped state.

In a preferred embodiment, the fastening openings are arranged on at least one circle that is concentric to a bearing opening of the wind turbine bearing, in particular equidistant.

A machine bearing and/or an elastomeric bushing according to one of the exemplary embodiments described above can be installed in a wind turbine. Such a wind turbine can include a support structure, for example a housing, and a machine train with a nacelle-side component, preferably a shaft or a gear unit. The housing can, for example, be the housing of a nacelle of the wind turbine. The supporting structure and the generator-side component of such a wind turbine each have a fastening flange. At least one of these fastening flanges has a plurality of fastening openings which can accommodate bearing bushes, as described in one of the preceding exemplary embodiments. . The bearing bushes can be penetrated by a fastening unit, which is fastened to the respective other fastening flange. The fastening unit can, for example, connect these to one another via a threaded hole in the respective other fastening flange or by means of a connection using a lock nut. Due to its elasticity, the bearing bush has a dampening effect and thus decouples the supporting structure from the generator-side component, so that vibrations or oscillations are no longer transmitted or are transmitted to a reduced extent.

The bearing bush can be upset, ie compressed, via the fastening unit or a further bracing unit in its axial direction, in which the fastening unit is also guided through the bearing bush. As a result, the bearing bush expands in a radial direction, orthogonal to the axial direction, and braces the fastening section with the fastening unit and thus also with the other fastening section.

The generator-side component can be connected to the support structure of the wind power plant in an assembly process using the wind power plant bearing with at least the following steps: a) providing the generator-side component with a fastening flange on a foundation-side support structure of a wind power plant; b) positioning the generator-side component in an assembly position; c) inserting the plurality of bearing bushes according to the exemplary embodiments described in each fastening opening of the fastening flange; d) inserting a fastening unit into each bearing bush; e) fastening the fastening units in the supporting structure of the wind turbine, for example by means of a threaded connection; f) compression of the bearing bush by means of the fastening unit and g) bracing of the fastening unit with the fastening flange by means of the bearing bushes. Steps f) and g) are preferably carried out at the same time. Furthermore, step e) can be carried out at the same time as steps f) and g). Otherwise, steps e), f) and g) can be performed in the order given or in any order.

A wind turbine bearing according to the described embodiments is preferably used for the described assembly method, which includes the bearing bushes, the fastening units and the fastening flange.

Various embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to figures. while showing

1 shows a cross-sectional view of a wind turbine bearing according to the invention in a viewing direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the bearing bush;

FIG. 2a shows the wind turbine bearing from FIG. 1 in a cross-sectional view looking along the axial direction;

FIG. 2b shows a cross-sectional view of the wind power plant bearing offset along the axial direction in relation to FIG. 2a;

2c shows a cross-sectional view of the wind turbine bearing offset along the axial direction with respect to FIGS. 2a and 2b;

FIG. 3a shows an alternative embodiment of the wind turbine bearing in the cross-sectional view from FIG. 2a;

FIG. 3b shows a cross-sectional view of the wind turbine bearing offset from FIG. 3a along the axial direction; FIG.

3c shows a cross-sectional view of the wind turbine bearing offset along the axial direction with respect to FIGS. 3a and 3b; 4a shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the wind turbine bearing in the viewing direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction in an unstressed state; and

FIG. 4b shows the wind turbine bearing from FIG. 4a in a clamped state.

FIGS. 1 to 2c show an embodiment of a wind turbine bearing 1 according to the invention for fastening the generator-side component of the wind turbine to a support structure, which in the exemplary embodiment shown is a housing of the wind turbine.

The wind turbine bearing 1 comprises a fastening flange 2, a fastening unit 4 and a bearing bush, which consists of an elastomer body 6. The machine mount 1 is shown in an unstressed state.

As can be seen in particular in FIGS. 2a to 2c, the bearing bush 6 is essentially ring-shaped in a cross section in the viewing direction of its axial direction L. The bearing bush 6 is accommodated in a fastening opening 8 in the fastening flange 2 . The fastening unit 4 is guided through the hollow space of the elastomer body 6 formed by the bearing bush 6 .

The section of the fastening unit 4 which is arranged in the bearing bush 6 is essentially cylindrical. The fastening opening 8 in the fastening flange 2 is also essentially cylindrical. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the bearing bush 6 has a substantially cylindrical outer peripheral surface 10 and a conical inner peripheral surface 12 . Accordingly, there is a gap 14 between the inner peripheral surface 12 of the bearing bush 6 and the fastening unit 4 .

The gap 14 narrows from a first end face 16 of the bearing bush 6 to a second end face 18 of the bearing bush 6 along the axial direction L of the bearing bush 6. The bearing bush 6 is in contact with the fastening unit 4 on the second end face 18 of the bearing bush, so that there is no longer a gap 14. This can be seen in particular in the cross-sectional views with a viewing direction orthogonal to the axial direction L, which are shown in FIGS. 2a, 2b and 2c. FIG. 2a shows the cross section at the point marked AA in FIG. 1, at which the gap 14 is largest. Fig. 2b shows the cross-sectional view in a central position along the axial direction L of the bearing bush 6, which is marked by a marking BB in Fig. 1 and at which the wind turbine bearing 1 has a smaller gap 14 compared to the view in Fig. 2a. 2c shows the cross section at a marking CC, where there is no longer a visible gap 14 between the bearing bush 6 and the fastening unit 4. FIG.

The bearing bush 6 can have projections 20a, 20b on both front ends, which form the front surfaces 16, 18. The projections 20a, 20b have a smaller wall thickness 22 than the rest of the bearing bush 6. This can prevent the formation of bulges at the ends of the bearing bush 6 via the end faces 16, 18 when the bearing bush 6 is compressed, which bulges prevent further compression or cause an uneven distribution of force.

Attachment unit 4 has a first end stop 24 adjoining the first end face 16 of the bearing bush 6 and a second end stop 26 on the second end face 18 of the bearing bush 6. The second end stop 26 is designed in one piece with the rest of the attachment unit 4 . The first end stop 24 is mounted on the rest of the fastening unit 4 by means of a thread.

By rotating the first end-side stop 24, an axial distance along the axial direction L between the first end-side stop 24 and the second end-side stop 26 can be set accordingly. If the first end stop 24 is screwed further onto the fastening unit 4, the axial distance between the first end stop 24 and the second end stop 26 is reduced. As a result, the end stops 24, 26 press the bearing bush 6 together via the end faces 16, 18 . The bearing bush 6 is thereby compressed in the axial direction L and expands in a radial direction Out. As a result, the gap 14 between the inner peripheral surface 12 of the bearing bush 6 and the fastening unit 4 disappears.

The fastening unit 4 also has a housing stop 28 and a threaded extension 30, which are used to fasten the fastening unit 4 in a threaded hole provided for this purpose in the housing of a wind turbine.

A component of the machine train, for example a shaft, is mounted in the generator-side component with the fastening flange 2 . For this purpose, the fastening flange 2 is arranged around a bearing opening for the shaft. There are several fastening openings 8 distributed over the fastening flange 2 around the bearing opening, only one of which is shown.

Figures 3a to 3c, like Figures 2a to 2c, represent cross-sectional views of an embodiment of a wind turbine bearing 1 according to the invention, viewed in the axial direction L. The cross sections along the axial direction L of the bearing bush 6 are distributed like the cross sections in Figures 2a to 2c.

In contrast to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2a to 2c, the inner peripheral surface 12 of the bearing bush 6 is already cylindrical in an unstressed state and is in contact with the fastening unit 4. For this, the outer peripheral surface 10 of the bearing bush 6 runs conically. Accordingly, the gap 14 is located in the illustrated embodiment between the outer peripheral surface 10 of the bearing bush 6 and the mounting flange 2.

Figures 4a and 4b show a further embodiment of the wind turbine bearing 1 in a cross-sectional view with a viewing direction orthogonal to the axial direction L in an unbraced and in a braced state.

As in the exemplary embodiments described above, the bearing bush 6 is arranged between a fastening unit 4 and a fastening flange 2 . The bearing bush 6 is ring-shaped in cross section when viewed along the axial direction L. In contrast to the exemplary embodiments illustrated above, in the unstressed state of the wind turbine bearing 1 illustrated in FIG. 4a, both the outer peripheral surface 10 and the inner peripheral surface 12 of the bearing bush 6 are conical. Accordingly, there is an external gap 14a between the outer peripheral surface 10 and the fastening flange 2 and an internal gap 14b between the inner peripheral surface 12 and the fastening unit 4. The wall thickness 22 of the bearing bush 6 increases from the second end face 18 along the axial direction L to the first end face 16 from.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the fastening unit 4 consists of several components. A contact surface of the fastening unit 4 to the bearing bush 6 and the second end stop 26 are formed by a sleeve 32 . The sleeve 32 is applied to a bearing bolt 34, in the present example a threaded rod with a continuous external thread. For this purpose, the sleeve 32 has a corresponding internal thread.

The first end-side stop 24 is mounted on a shoulder 36 provided for this purpose on the sleeve 32 and can be moved along the axial direction L on it. In order to move the first end stop 24 , a clamping nut 38 is provided, which is screwed onto the external thread of the threaded rod 34 .

In the present example, an intermediate piece 40 is provided, which is also mounted on the threaded rod 34 in order to transmit a tightening force of the clamping nut 38 to the first stop 24 on the end face. For this purpose, the intermediate piece 40 has a bore with which it is guided on the threaded rod 34 . On the side facing away from the clamping nut 38, which is in contact with the first frontal stop 24, the bore of the intermediate piece 40 widens so far that the end of the sleeve 32 can be accommodated therein, so that the first stop can be reached by means of the intermediate piece 40 24 can be pushed onto the shoulder 36 of the sleeve 32.

Paragraph 36 includes a locking groove 42 and a locking ring 44 received therein. The locking ring 44 can facilitate pre-assembly of the wind turbine bearing 1 and/or one or two edge positions of the define the first end-side stop 24 for an unstressed state and a stressed state of the bearing bush 6 .

The edge positions thus indicate the positions of the first end stop 24 at which the bearing bush 6 has reached a desired degree of compression, at which the bearing bush 6 has reached a maximum permissible degree of compression, at which the bearing bush 6 has reached a minimum permissible degree Compression in a tensed state and/or a desired clearance in an unstressed state.

A housing-side end of the threaded rod 34 is screwed into the housing 46 of the wind turbine. The second end stop 26 serves as a stop against the housing 46 with the side facing away from the bearing bush 6.

The sleeve 32 also has a guide extension 48 which is accommodated in a guide receptacle 50 of the housing 46 provided for this purpose in order to guide the sleeve 32 or the fastening unit 4 radially in the housing and to simplify assembly. To further simplify assembly, the edge of the guide extension 48 has a chamfer.

In order to fix the generator-side component to the housing 46, the bearing bush 6 is compressed in the axial direction L, as shown in FIG. 4B. As a result, the bearing bush 6 expands in the radial direction R and the gaps 14a and 14b are closed. Furthermore, the projection 20b is compensated or flattened. Due to the radial expansion of the bearing bush 6 , a contact force or pressure is exerted against the fastening unit 4 and the fastening flange 2 via the bearing bush 6 .

For this purpose, the clamping nut 38 is screwed further onto the threaded rod 34, as a result of which the intermediate piece 40 is pushed further over the threaded rod 34 and the first end stop 24 is pushed over the shoulder 36 of the sleeve 32 in the direction of the second end stop 26. The thereby shortened axial distance between the first frontal stop 24 and the second Front stop 26 causes the compression of the bearing bush 6 in the axial direction L.

As soon as the gaps 14a, 14b are closed, the bearing bush 6 cannot expand further and the pressure in the radial direction R on the fastening unit 4 and the fastening flange 2 increases. Furthermore, this increases the rigidity of the bearing bush 6, as a result of which the damping effect between the housing 46 and the generator-side component connected to the fastening flange 2 is reduced.

In order to achieve the desired damping effect, the securing ring 44 forms a stop, as shown in FIG. 4b, which defines a maximum compression of the bearing bush 6.

In the unstressed state, as shown in FIG. 4a, the ends of the bearing bush 6 still protrude beyond the fastening opening 8 of the fastening flange 2. Accordingly, the first and second end stops 24, 26 are also located outside the fastening opening 8 of the fastening flange 2. In contrast, the bearing bush 6 is in the clamped state, as shown in Fig. 4b, completely inside the fastening opening 8 of the fastening flange 2 and the first and second end stops 24 , 26 have also partially penetrated into the fastening opening 8 of the fastening flange 2 .

The features disclosed in the above description, the figures and the claims can be important both individually and in any combination for the implementation of the invention in the various configurations.

List of reference symbols i Wind turbine bearings

2 mounting flange

4 fastening unit

6 elastomer body, bearing bush

8 mounting hole io outer peripheral surface

12 inner peripheral surface

14 column

14a outer gap

14b inner gap

16 first face surface

18 second face surface

20a, 20b projections

22 wall thickness

24 first end stop

26 second end stop

28 housing stop

30 thread extension

32 sleeve

34 bearing bolts

36 paragraph

38 clamping nut

40 spacer

42 locking groove

44 locking ring

46 supporting structure

48 leading process

50 lead recording

L axial direction

R radial direction

Claims

Expectations

1. Bearing bush for movably holding a generator-side component and a foundation-side component of a wind turbine, comprising an elastomer body (6) with a cavity surrounded by the elastomer material for axially receiving a generator-side or foundation-side bearing bolt (34), wherein one of an inner side of the hollow elastomer body ( 6) and whose outside wall thickness (22) defined in the axial direction (L) of the elastomer body (6) decreases at least in sections.

2. Bearing bush according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastomeric body (6) consists of or comprises the material polyurethane, in particular polyurethane-polyester or polyester-urethane rubber, preferably Urelast.

3. Bearing bush according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the outside and/or inside of the elastomer body (6) has a taper angle of 0.1° to 2.5°, 0.3° to 2.0°, 0. 4° to 1.5°, 0.5° to 1.2° or 0.7° to 0.9°, in particular 0.8° to a reference plane arranged parallel to the axial direction (L) is/are arranged, wherein the inside is formed by the hollow space designed in particular as a bore and the outside is in particular essentially cylindrical.

4. Bearing bush according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the wall thickness (22) decreases continuously in a conical taper section along the axial direction (L), the taper angle preferably being constant over the entire length of the taper section.

5. Bearing bush according to claim 4, characterized in that a ratio of the tapering section of the elastomeric body (6) and a total length of the bearing bush along the axial direction (L) is at least 0.5; 0.7; 0.8; is 0.9 or 1.

6. Bearing bush according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elastomer body (6) is made in one piece, in particular by means

23 an injection molding process or casting process, and / or monolithic. Bearing bush arrangement, having several, in particular at least 6, 8, 12, 15 or 20 bearing bushes according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the bearing bushes are arranged in a clock dial arrangement in particular equidistantly around an axis of a wind turbine bearing. Wind turbine bearing for supporting a generator of a wind turbine on a foundation-side supporting structure of the wind turbine, comprising a plurality of bearing bushes and/or a bearing bush arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the bearing bushes and/or the bearing bush arrangement are/is arranged at an assembly interface between the generator and the rotor. Wind turbine bearing according to claim 8, comprising in each case a bearing bolt (34) extending at least partially through the elastomer body (6) and a fastening flange (2) with a plurality of fastening openings (8), in each of which one of the bearing bolts (34) and one of the bearing bushes are arranged , wherein the bearing bushes are in an unstressed state, in which a gap (14, 14a, 14b) that decreases in its radial width in the axial direction (L) of the fastening opening (8) between the elastomer body (6) and the bearing bolt (34) and/or between the elastomer body (6) and the fastening flange (2) is present at least in sections. Wind turbine bearing according to Claim 9, characterized in that the width of the gap (14, 14a, 14b) is at a gap angle of 0.1° to 2.5°, 0.3° to 2.0°, 0.4° to 1 .5°, 0.5° to 1.2° or 0.7° to 0.9°, in particular 0.8°. Wind turbine bearing according to Claim 9 or 10, characterized in that in a clamped state of the bearing bushes, in which the elastomer body (6) is compressed along the axial direction (L) compared to the unstressed state, at least in a larger section along the axial direction (L) when in the unstressed state, there is no gap (14, 14a, 14b) between the bearing bush and the bearing pin (34) or the fastening flange (2). Wind turbine bearing according to one of Claims 9 to 11, comprising a bracing unit, in particular one bracing unit for each bearing bush, with a first end-side stop (24) which can be brought into contact with a first end-side surface (16) of the bearing bush and a second end-side stop (24) with a second end-side surface ( 18) on the opposite end of the bearing bush, the end stop (26) that can be brought into contact, with an axial distance along the axial direction (L) between the first end stop (24) and the second end stop (26) being adjustable in length, in particular by means of a thread unit, in order to exert a compressive force acting in the axial direction (L) on the elastomeric body (6) in order to close the bearing bolts (34) with the fastening flange (2) by means of the elastomeric bushing (6) by compressing the elastomeric body (6) in the axial direction (L). tense up Wind turbine bearing according to Claim 12, characterized in that the bearing bushes, the bearing bolts (34) and/or the fastening flange (2) are shaped and/or dimensioned in such a way that the bearing bushes can be transferred from the unstressed state to a stressed state by means of the bracing units and so the fastening flange (2) can be braced with the bearing bolts (34) by means of the bearing bushes. Wind turbine bearing according to one of Claims 9 to 13, further comprising a sleeve (32) fastened to the bearing bolt (34) and forming a second end stop (26), the bearing bolts (34) having a fastening end, preferably a thread , by means of which they can be connected to the foundation-side support structure (46) of the wind turbine. Wind turbine bearing according to Claim 14, characterized in that the first end stops (24) are each screwed onto the sleeves (32) by means of a thread or are screwed onto the bearing bolt (34) and are adjustable in longitudinal distances to the second end-side stops (26), the first end-side stops (24) being in contact in particular with the first end-side surfaces (16) of the bearing bushes, at which the gap (14 , 14a, 14b) is largest. Wind turbine bearing according to one of Claims 9 to 15, characterized in that the elastomer bodies (6) in a clamped state, in which those are compressed in the axial direction (L), have a smaller volume and/or higher rigidity than in the unstressed state State in which they are not or to a lesser extent compressed in the axial direction (L). Wind turbine bearing according to one of Claims 9 to 16, characterized in that the outer surface of the bearing bolts (34) and the opening wall of the fastening opening (8) are of cylindrical design. Wind turbine comprising a wind turbine bearing according to any one of claims 9 to 17.

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