IP Library Granted Patent US 12691667
Granted Patent B2
US 12691667 · App. 18/719,374 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Textile covering for rotor blades and use of the textile covering

Inventors: Manu Tuytens (Waregem, BE); Carl Baekelandt (Waregem, BE); Kurt Inghelbrecht (Waregem, BE); Rik Gekiere (Waregem, BE)
Assignee: Concordia Textiles nv
B32B27/12B32B5/024B32B7/12B32B27/40B32B2250/02B32B2250/24B32B2305/188B32B2307/3065B32B2307/416B32B2307/54B32B2307/554B32B2307/5825B32B2307/718B32B2603/00
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12691667
App. No.
18/719,374
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to a covering for rotor blades comprising a fabric and a protective top layer, the covering having a weight of up to 800 g/m 2 , the covering having an elongation at break in both a warp and a weft direction of at least 20%, wherein the elongation at break is determined according to ISO 13934-1:2013, wherein the protective top layer is a film, and wherein the protective top layer is laminated to the fabric. The invention also relates to a use of the covering for covering rotor blades of a wind turbine.

Claims (34)

1 . Covering for rotor blades comprising a fabric and a protective top layer, wherein:

the covering has a weight of at most 800 g/m2,

the covering has an elongation at break in both a warp direction and a weft direction of at least 20%, wherein the elongation at break is determined according to ISO 13934-1:2013,

the protective top layer is a film, and

the protective top layer is laminated to the fabric.

2 . Covering according to claim 1 , wherein the protective top layer is a film comprising thermoplastic polyurethane.

3 . Covering according to claim 1 , wherein the protective top layer is laminated to the fabric with the aid of a reactive aromatic or aliphatic fire-retardant polyurethane glue.

4 . Covering according to claim 1 , wherein weft and warp threads of the fabric comprise fire-retardant polyester.

5 . Covering according to claim 1 , wherein the weft and warp threads have a tensile strength of at least 6.5 cN/dtex.

6 . Covering according to claim 1 , wherein the weft and warp threads have a yarn count of at least 600 dtex.

7 . Covering according to claim 1 , wherein the fabric comprises at least 6 warp threads and at most 16 warp threads per cm and at least 6 weft threads and at most 16 weft threads per cm.

8 . Covering according to claim 1 , wherein the fabric has a plain weave.

9 . Covering according to claim 1 , wherein the fabric has a tensile strength according to both the warp direction and the weft direction of at least 1800 N, the tensile strength being determined in accordance with ISO 13934-1:2013.

10 . Covering according to claim 1 , wherein the fabric can withstand a tear force of at least 70 N in a test according to ISO 13937-2:2000 in both the warp direction and the weft direction.

11 . Covering according to claim 1 , wherein the covering has a reflectivity of less than 30 GU at an angle of 60°, determined according to ISO 2813:2014.

12 . Covering according to claim 1 , wherein the fabric comprises a polymeric fabric, the protective top layer comprises a polymer, and the covering has a glass transition point of at least 65° C.

13 . Covering according to claim 1 , wherein the covering a side of the fabric, lying opposite a side to which the protective top layer has been laminated, has a wear resistance of at least one hundred thousand cycles, determined according to ISO 12947-2:2016.

14 . Covering according to claim 1 , wherein there is an adhesive force of at least 80 N/50 mm between the protective top layer and the fabric, determined according to ISO 2411:2017.

15 . Use of a covering for covering wind turbine rotor blades, wherein the covering for rotor blades comprises a fabric and a protective top layer, wherein:

the covering has a weight of at most 800 g/m2,

that the covering has an elongation at break in both a warp direction and a weft direction of at least 20%, wherein the elongation at break is determined according to ISO 13934-1:2013,

that the protective top layer is a film, and

that the protective top layer is laminated to the fabric.

16 . A rotor blade, comprising:

a covering, consisting of:

a fabric comprising a polymer,

a polymeric protective top layer, which is a film and is laminated to the fabric, and

an adhesive layer between the fabric and the protective top layer,

wherein:

the covering has a weight of at most 800 g/m2,

the covering has an elongation at break in both a warp direction and a weft direction of at least 20%, wherein the elongation at break is determined according to ISO 13934-1:2013.

17 . The rotor blade according to claim 16 , wherein the polymeric protective top layer comprises thermoplastic polyurethane.

18 . The rotor blade according to claim 16 , wherein the fabric comprises weft and warp threads comprising a fire-retardant polyester.

19 . The rotor blade according to claim 16 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises a reactive aromatic or aliphatic fire-retardant polyurethane glue.