Modular molding device, molding system and method for creating a mold for a blade segment of a wind turbine blade of a wind turbine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11820046-B2
Application number	US-202016829828-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2020
Priority date	Mar 26, 2019
Publication date	Nov 21, 2023
Grant date	Nov 21, 2023

Abstract

A modular molding device for creating a mold for a blade segment of a wind turbine blade of a wind turbine, the modular molding device including: a flexible support plate forming the mold for the blade segment, at least one bending apparatus including at least a first end and a second end, the at least one bending apparatus attached to the support plate and configured to bend the support plate from a first support plate shape to at least one second support plate shape, and at least one connection means, which is configured to removably connect the flexible support plate of the modular molding device with at least one connection of a flexible support plate of another modular molding device is provided. Moreover, a molding system and a method for creating a mold for a blade segment of a wind turbine blade of a wind turbine is also provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A modular molding device for creating a mold for a blade segment of a wind turbine blade of a wind turbine, the modular molding device comprising:
a flexible support plate forming the mold for the blade segment;
at least one bending apparatus comprising at least a first end and a second end, the at least one bending apparatus attached to the flexible support plate at a location off-center with respect to a width axis, and configured to bend the flexible support plate from a first support plate shape to at least one second support plate shape; and
a bending apparatus attached to the flexible support plate at a location proximate a center of the width axis, permanently fixed in position with respect to a height axis to provide a fixed counterpart for a bending by the at least one bending apparatus from the first support plate shape to the at least one second support plate shape;
at least one connection means, which is configured to removably connect the flexible support plate of the modular molding device with at least one connection means of a flexible support plate of another modular molding device.

2. The modular molding device according to claim 1 , wherein the first end of the at least one bending apparatus is attached to the flexible support plate by means of at least one first bending apparatus joint having at least one rotational degree of freedom, whereby at least one of the at least one rotational degree of freedom is oriented with respect to a longitudinal axis of the flexible support plate.

3. The modular molding device according to claim 1 , wherein the second end of the at least one bending apparatus comprises at least one second bending apparatus joint having at least one rotational degree of freedom, whereby at least one of the at least one rotational degree of freedom is oriented with respect to a longitudinal axis of the flexible support plate.

4. The modular molding device according to claim 1 , further comprising a torsion-resistant chassis.

5. The modular molding device according to claim 4 , wherein the second end of the at least one bending apparatus is attached to the torsion-resistant chassis.

6. The modular molding device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one bending apparatus is attached to a bottom side of the flexible support plate, whereby the bottom side of the flexible support plate is opposite to a top side of the flexible support plate.

7. The modular molding device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one connection means comprises a protruded connection means and/or a recessed connection means, wherein the protruded connection means of a first modular molding device is configured to be aligned and/or connected to the recessed connection means of a second modular molding device.

8. The modular molding device according to claim 7 , wherein at least one protruded connection means of a first modular molding device is formed as a pin and the at least one recessed connection means of a second modular molding device is formed as a slot, wherein the slot is configured to be aligned and/or connected to the pin.

9. The modular molding device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one connection means is arranged at a bottom side of the flexible support plate, wherein the bottom side of the flexible support plate is opposite to a top side of the flexible support plate.

10. The modular molding device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one connection means is arranged at a front face of the flexible support plate, wherein the front face is angled to a longitudinal axis of the flexible support plate.

11. The modular molding device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one limit stop is arranged on and/or connected to the flexible support plate on/to a top side of the flexible support plate.

12. The modular molding device according to any claim 1 further comprising a vacuum bagging assembly.

13. A molding system comprising at least two modular molding devices according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two modular molding devices are connected by means of an at least one connection means each.

14. A method for creating a mold for a blade segment of a wind turbine blade of a wind turbine, with at least two modular molding devices according to claim 1 , the method comprising:
connecting the at least two modular molding devices by aligning and/or connecting the at least one connection means of a first modular molding device with the at least one connection means of a second modular molding device to create a molding system.

Assignees

• Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy As

Inventors

• Burchardt Claus
• Hurup Allan
• Nielsen Mogens

Classifications

• B29C33/302 Primary

  Assembling a large number of mould elements to constitute one cavity · CPC title

• F03D1/0675 Primary

  of the blades · CPC title

• B29C33/305

  Mounting of moulds or mould support plates (handling of moulds B29C31/006; mounting of moulds for injection moulding B29C45/1742) · CPC title

• B29L2031/085

  Wind turbine blades · CPC title

• B29C33/308 Primary

  Adjustable moulds (for injection moulding B29C45/376) · CPC title