IP Library Granted Patent US 11,359,607
Granted Patent B2
US 11,359,607 · App. 17/195,141 · Granted Jun 14, 2022

Temporary web support for wind turbine blade rotating device

Inventor: Nicholas Warchol (Akron, OH)
Assignee: TPI Composites, Inc.
F03D13/10B29D99/0028B29K2309/08F05B2230/23F05B2230/604F05B2240/21
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,359,607
App. No.
17/195,141
Granted
Jun 14, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided herein is a shear web support for wind turbine blade. Particularly, the present disclosure provides a frangible shear web support element that is designed to fail under certain specific conditions. The frangible support(s) enhance the structural rigidity of the shear web, allow for one-step mold closures, and rupture or disconnect once a predetermined condition (e.g. load threshold, load orientation/vector) is applied to the support element.

Claims (27)

1. A wind turbine blade apparatus, comprising:

a blade, comprising:

a first blade half, the first blade half including a first internal wall;

a second blade half, the second blade half including a second internal wall;

a first spar cap;

a second spar cap;

a shear web coupled to the first spar cap;

a support having a first leg coupled to the first internal wall, and a second leg coupled to the shear web,

wherein the support includes a frangible portion configured to fail under a predefined condition.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first spar cap is integrally formed with the first internal wall.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second spar cap is bonded to the second wall.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first blade half engages the second blade half to define a blade interior, wherein the support is removable from the blade interior.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frangible portion is disposed between the first leg and second leg of the support.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frangible portion is disposed at a midpoint of the support.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first leg and frangible portion have a common geometry.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frangible portion is includes a weakened section.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second leg have a first material composition, and the frangible portion has a second material composition.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the predefined condition is a stress threshold amount.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the predefined condition is an application of a structurally degrading material.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the predefined condition is a temperature threshold amount.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the predefined condition is a load vector.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the predefined condition is a load vector oriented orthogonally to a longitudinal axis of the support.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frangible portion fails upon positioning the second blade half on top of the first blade half.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frangible portion remains attached to the support after failure.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the shear web is oriented vertically and the support oriented at approximately a 45 degree angle relative to the shear web.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the shear web is oriented vertically and the support oriented at an angle less than 45 degrees relative to the shear web.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the shear web is oriented vertically and the support oriented at an angle greater than 45 degrees relative to the shear web.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 14, 2023
From: TPI COMPOSITES, INC.
To: OAKTREE FUND ADMINISTRATION, LLC
Reel/Frame 066014/0207 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 28, 2021
From: WARCHOL, NICHOLAS
To: TPI COMPOSITES, INC.
Reel/Frame 057944/0710 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16869004 · May 7, 2020
Continuation 16129398 · Sep 12, 2018
Provisional Application 62729502 · Sep 11, 2018
Related Publication 20210301788A1 · Sep 30, 2021