IP Library Granted Patent US 7,824,592
Granted Patent B2
US 7,824,592 · App. 11/534,364 · Granted Nov 2, 2010

Bond line forming method

Assignee: General Electric Company
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,824,592
App. No.
11/534,364
Granted
Nov 2, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for forming a bond between a first and a second shell of a blade is provided. The method comprises the steps of forming a cavity between said first and second blade shells and filling an adhesive into said cavity to form a bond line between said first and second blade shells.

Claims (22)

1. A method for forming a bond between a first blade shell and a second blade shell of a blade, the first blade shell and the second blade shell comprising respective leading edge contact surfaces that face each other and respective trailing edge contact surfaces that face each other when the first blade shell is mounted to the second blade shell, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a cavity between at least one of (a) the leading edge contact surfaces and (b) the trailing edge contact surfaces of said first blade shell and said second blade shell;

filling an adhesive into said cavity to form a bond line between said first blade shell and said second blade shell.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the adhesive is injected into the cavity.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the adhesive is infused into the cavity.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a groove is formed in at least one of the first blade shell and the second blade shell so that the cavity is formed by said groove when the first blade shell and the second blade shell are mounted to each other.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one of the first blade shell and the second blade shell has at least one vent hole extending between said groove and a surface of the at least one of the first blade shell and the second blade shell.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a hose is disposed in said cavity and said adhesive is injected through said hose.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the hose is gradually retracted from said cavity while injecting the adhesive.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the cavity extends between a root portion of the rotor blade and a tip portion of the rotor blade, and wherein the hose is retracted from the tip portion to the root portion.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the adhesive is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, epoxy resins, vinyl esters, methacrylate, or any combination thereof.

10. A method for forming a bond between a first blade shell and a second blade shell of a blade, the first blade shell and the second blade shell comprising respective leading edge contact surfaces that face each other and respective trailing edge contact surfaces that face each other when the first blade shell is mounted to the second blade shell, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a cavity between at least one of (a) the leading edge contact surfaces and (b) the trailing edge contact surfaces of said first blade shell and said second blade shell;

disposing an expandable adhesive in said cavity; and

expanding said expandable adhesive to form a bond line between said first blade shell and said second blade shell.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the expandable adhesive is disposed in a groove formed in at least the first blade shell and, subsequently, the second blade shell is mounted to the first blade shell so that the cavity comprising the expandable adhesive is formed.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the expandable adhesive is expanded by at least one of by exposing the expandable adhesive to UV light, by exposing the expandable adhesive to heat, by use of a foaming agent and by use of a chemical hardener.

13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the expandable adhesive is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, epoxy resins, vinyl esters, methacrylate, or any combination thereof.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the adhesive is an expandable adhesive, the method further comprising the step of expanding the expandable adhesive to form the bond line between said first blade shell and said second blade shell.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the expandable adhesive is disposed in a groove formed in at least the first blade shell and, subsequently, the second blade shell is mounted to the first blade shell so that the cavity comprising the expandable adhesive is formed.

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the expandable adhesive is expanded by at least one of by exposing the expandable adhesive to UV light, by exposing the expandable adhesive to heat, by use of a foaming agent and by use of a chemical hardener.

17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the expandable adhesive is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, epoxy resins, vinyl esters, methacrylate, or any combination thereof.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 22, 2024
From: LM WIND POWER US TECHNOLOGY APS
To: GE INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 066869/0770 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2023
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
To: LM WIND POWER US TECHNOLOGY APS
Reel/Frame 065531/0160 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2007
From: GE WIND ENERGY GMBH
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 019040/0669 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2006
From: VAN BREUGEL, SJEF; BAKHUIS, WILLEM; BILLEN, ANDY
To: GE WIND ENERGY GMBH
Reel/Frame 018292/0001 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20080075603A1 · Mar 27, 2008