# US 10,767,624 B2 · Apparatus for joining a modular blade

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,767,624 B2
- Document ID: US10767624B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/150,862
- Filed: 2018-10-03
- Published: 2019-01-31
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-04-04
- Assignees: Nabrawind Technologies, S.L.
- Applicants: Nabrawind Technologies Sl
- Inventors: Javier Monreal Lesmes; Javier Callén Escartín; Ion Arocena De La Rúa; Hely Ricardo Savii Costa; Eneko Sanz Pascual
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767624B2

## CPC

- F03D 1/0675: {of the blades}
- F01D 1/06: traversed by the working-fluid substantially radially
- F03D 1/0633: {of the blades}
- F05B 2230/60: Assembly methods
- F05B 2240/21: for wind turbines
- F05B 2240/302: Segmented or sectional blades
- F05B 2260/301: Retaining bolts or nuts
- F16B 2/14: using wedges
- F16B 5/0275: {the screw-threaded element having at least two axially separated threaded portions (F16B5/0283 takes precedence)}
- F16B 31/04: for maintaining {a} tensile load
- Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- F03D: WIND MOTORS
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
- F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

An assembly for joining together modules of a modular wind turbine blade. According to one embodiment the assembly is formed by a plurality of bolts that are secured between pairs of first and second inserts respectively housed in the composite material of first and second modules. According to one embodiment each assembly is formed by first and second lateral caps, upper wedge and a lower wedges located between the first and second lateral caps, and transverse screws joining the upper and lower wedges that together are formed around the corresponding bolt. When a force F1 is applied to the wedges, the lateral caps respond with forces F2 that urge the first and second modules away from one another to longitudinally stress the bolt.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A wind turbine blade comprising:
a first module;
a second module;
a first insert located in the first module, the first insert including a first threaded part;
a second insert located in the second module, the second insert including a second threaded part;
a bolt having a first threaded portion threaded with the first threaded part and a second threaded portion threaded with the second threaded part, the bolt having a longitudinal axis;
a wedge assembly located at least in part in a gap between the first and second modules, the wedge assembly including an upper wedge and a lower wedge, the upper wedge having a first slanted side surface facing the first insert and a second slanted side surface facing the second insert, the lower wedge having a first slanted side surface facing the first insert and a second slanted side surface facing the second insert, the upper and lower wedges being urged toward one another by an applied force causing the first slanted side surface of each of the upper and lower wedges to press against a surface of the first insert to longitudinally stress the bolt in a first direction, and to cause the second slanted side surface of each of the upper and lower wedges to press against a surface of the second insert to longitudinally stress the bolt in a second direction opposite the first direction;
the applied force to the upper and lower wedges being provided by one or more transverse bolts that join the upper and lower wedges, each of the one or more transverse bolts comprising a head and a threaded shank, the head residing inside an opening in the upper wedge, the threaded shank being in threaded engagement with a threaded aperture inside the lower wedge;
the upper wedge including an exterior surface that faces in a first direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the bolt and the lower wedge includes an exterior surface that faces in a second direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the bolt, the second direction being opposite the first direction, no portion of the one or more transverse bolts protrudes from either of the exterior surfaces of the upper and lower wedges.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The wind turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein the first slanted side surfaces of the upper and lower wedges and the second slanted side surfaces of the upper and lower wedges are at an angle greater than 0 degrees and less than or equal to 15 degrees.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The wind turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein the first and second inserts and the upper and lower wedges are made of a metal.

### Claim 4

A wind turbine blade comprising:
a first module;
a second module;
a first insert located in the first module, the first insert including a first threaded part;
a second insert located in the second module, the second insert including a second threaded part;
a bolt having a first threaded portion threaded with the first threaded part and a second threaded portion threaded with the second threaded part, the bolt having a longitudinal axis;
a wedge assembly located at least in part in a gap between the first and second modules, the wedge assembly including an upper wedge and a lower wedge, the upper wedge having a first slanted side surface facing the first insert and a second slanted side surface facing the second insert, the lower wedge having a first slanted side surface facing the first insert and a second slanted side surface facing the second insert, the upper and lower wedges being urged toward one another by an applied force causing the first slanted side surface of each of the upper and lower wedges to press against a surface of the first insert to longitudinally stress the bolt in a first direction, and to cause the second slanted side surface of each of the upper and lower wedges to press against a surface of the second insert to longitudinally stress the bolt in a second direction opposite the first direction;
the wind turbine blade comprising multiple pairs of first and second inserts, the wedge assembly including a plurality of pairs of upper and lower wedges, each of the pairs of upper and lower wedges corresponding to a pair of the first and second inserts, forces orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the bolt being applied simultaneously to the upper and lower wedges by a first longitudinal mechanical element acting on the upper wedges and a second longitudinal mechanical element acting on the lower wedges.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The wind turbine blade according to claim 4, wherein the first slanted side surfaces of the upper and lower wedges and the second slanted side surfaces of the upper and lower wedges are at an angle greater than 0 degrees and less than or equal to 15 degrees.

### Claim 6

A wind turbine blade comprising:
a first module;
a second module;
a first insert located in the first module, the first insert including a first threaded part;
a second insert located in the second module, the second insert including a second threaded part;
a bolt having a first threaded portion threaded with the first threaded part and a second threaded portion threaded with the second threaded part, the bolt having a longitudinal axis;
a wedge assembly located at least in part in a gap between the first and second modules, the wedge assembly including an upper wedge, a lower wedge, a first lateral cap located on a first side of the upper and lower wedges and a second lateral cap located on a second side of the upper and lower wedges, the second side being opposite the first side, the upper wedge having a first slanted side surface facing the first insert and a second slanted side surface facing the second insert, the lower wedge having a first slanted side surface facing the first insert and a second slanted side surface facing the second insert, the first lateral cap including a first face that abuts the first insert and a second face opposite the first face that abuts the first slanted side surfaces of the upper and lower wedges, the second lateral cap including a first face that abuts the second insert and a second face opposite the first face that abuts the second slanted side surfaces of the upper and lower wedges, the upper and lower wedges being urged toward one another by an applied force causing the first slanted side surface of each of the upper and lower wedges to press against the second face of the first lateral cap to impose a force on the first insert that longitudinally stresses the bolt in a first direction, and to cause the second slanted side surface of each of the upper and lower wedges to press against the second face of the second lateral cap to impose a force on the second insert that longitudinally stresses the bolt in a second direction opposite the first direction;
the applied force to the upper and lower wedges being provided by one or more transverse bolts that join the upper and lower wedges, each of the one or more transverse bolts comprises a head and a threaded shank, the head residing inside an opening in the upper wedge, the threaded shank being in threaded engagement with a threaded aperture inside the lower wedge;
the upper wedge including an exterior surface that faces in a first direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the bolt and the lower wedge includes an exterior surface that faces in a second direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the bolt, the second direction being opposite the first direction, no portion of the one or more transverse bolts protrudes from either of the exterior surfaces of the upper and lower wedges.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The wind turbine blade according to claim 6, wherein the first lateral cap comprises a part that is separate from the first insert and the second lateral cap comprises a part that is separate from the second insert.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The wind turbine blade according to claim 6, wherein first slanted side surfaces of the upper and lower wedges and the second slanted side surfaces of the upper and lower wedges are at an angle greater than 0 degrees and less than or equal to 15 degrees.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The wind turbine blade according to claim 6, wherein the first and second inserts, the first and second lateral caps and the upper and lower wedges are made of a metal.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The wind turbine blade according to claim 6 comprising multiple pairs of first and second inserts, the wedge assembly including a plurality of pairs of upper and lower wedges corresponding to a pair of the first and second inserts, forces orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the bolt being applied simultaneously to the upper and lower wedges by a first longitudinal mechanical element acting on the upper wedges and a second longitudinal mechanical element acting on the lower wedges.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The wind turbine blade according to claim 1 comprising multiple pairs of first and second inserts, the wedge assembly including a plurality of pairs of upper and lower wedges corresponding to a pair of the first and second inserts, forces orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the bolt being applied simultaneously to the plurality of wedges by a single longitudinal mechanical element.