Insert and blank for a wind turbine blade root

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11713744-B2
Application number	US-202217854038-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2022
Priority date	Dec 8, 2017
Publication date	Aug 1, 2023
Grant date	Aug 1, 2023

Abstract

A composite material blank comprising an elongate blank body extending between a first end face and a second end face; said blank body extending in a longitudinal direction, parallel to a longitudinal axis thereof, and having four peripheral sides; each said first and second end face having edges which define a trapezoid shape; wherein the peripheral sides of said blank body connect the edges of said first end face with the edges of said second end face; and wherein said first trapezoid end face is inverted in relation to said second trapezoid end face. A method of manufacturing a composite blank, and a wind turbine blade root insert which may be formed from a blank.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A composite material blank comprising an elongate blank body extending between a first end face and a second end face;
said blank body extending in a longitudinal direction, parallel to a longitudinal axis thereof, and having four peripheral side faces;
each said first and second end face having edges which define a trapezoid shape;
wherein the peripheral side faces of said blank body connect the edges of said first end face with the edges of said second end face;
and wherein said first trapezoid end face is inverted in relation to said second trapezoid end face.

2. The blank according to claim 1 , said blank body exhibiting two planar faces joined by two non-parallel, side faces.

3. The blank according to claim 2 , wherein each said side face comprises two or more substantially planar facets.

4. The blank according to claim 1 , said blank being shaped to generate two identically dimensioned parts, when bisected along a plane transverse to the lengthwise axis of said blank.

5. The blank according to claim 1 , said blank comprising a first and a second wind turbine blade root bushing wherein said first and second bushings are arranged oriented in opposition to each other.

6. The blank according to claim 5 , wherein a said first bushing is arranged in said first end portion of said blank body, and a said second bushing is arranged in said second end portion of said blank body.

7. The blank according to claim 5 , wherein the blank further comprises two or more fibrous battens surrounding said bushings, and wherein each batten has a deltoid cross-section, so that the battens give the blank body a quadrilateral cross-section.

8. The blank according to claim 1 , said blank body comprising a first end portion and a second end portion.

9. The blank according to claim 8 , wherein, along the length of said first and second end portions, the said four peripheral sides of said blank body are planar and extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of said blank.

10. The blank according to claim 9 , said blank further including a transition region in which two said side faces of said blank body are not parallel to said longitudinal axis.

11. The blank according to claim 9 , wherein each said end portion has a prismatic shape.

12. A method of manufacturing a pair of inserts for a wind turbine blade root, the method comprising:
providing a blank according to claim 1 ; and
cutting the blank into two equal pieces by making a diagonal cut through the blank body.

13. The method of claim 12 , said diagonal cut defining a plane which passes transversely across opposing parallel faces of said blank body, and which passes diagonally across opposing side faces of said blank body.

14. A method of manufacturing a composite blank, the method comprising:
placing an assembly in an infusion mould;
injecting a matrix material into the infusion mould so that the matrix material infuses the assembly;
curing the matrix material; and
after the matrix material has cured, removing the blank from the infusion mould;
wherein:
the blank includes an elongate blank body extending between a first end face and a second end face, said blank body extending in a longitudinal direction parallel to a longitudinal axis thereof and having four peripheral side faces,
each said first and second end face having edges which define a trapezoid shape,
the peripheral side faces of said blank body connect the edges of said first end face with the edges of said second end face, and
said first trapezoid end face is inverted in relation to said second trapezoid end face.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said infusion mould comprises first and second mould parts which meet at a split line, wherein each of said first and second mould parts moulds respectively two principal surfaces of said blank, wherein said first mould part moulds one of two opposing side faces of said blank and one of two opposing parallel faces of said blank, while said second mould part moulds the other of said two opposing side faces of said blank and the other of said two opposing parallel faces of said blank.

Assignees

• Vestas Wind Sys As

Inventors

• Smith Jonathan
• Smith James
• Ernst Robert
• Folsom Mark

Classifications

• F03D1/0658 Primary

  Arrangements for fixing wind-engaging parts to a hub · CPC title

• B29K2105/0872

  Prepregs · CPC title

• F05B2230/50

  Building or constructing in particular ways · CPC title

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• Y02P70/50

  Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product · CPC title