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US 11,598,309 B2Granted
Positioning profiles for pultrusions in wind blade spar caps
AssigneeTPI Composites, Inc.
InventorsWayne G. Monie, Nicholas Warchol, Michael Villar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided herein is a spar cap having a profile for guiding and receiving a shear web for wind turbine blade. Particularly, the present disclosure provides a pultruded spar cap having a bond gap feature to maintain a uniform space for distribution of bonding paste between the spar cap and shear web. Also, the spar cap is formed with locating features which guide and receive placement of the shear web.
Claims18
A spar cap comprising:
- a first surface and a second surface defining a thickness therebetween;
- at least one locating feature disposed on the first surface, the at least one locating feature extending vertically from the first surface of the spar cap to define a planar interior wall;
- at least one bond gap feature disposed on the first surface;
- at least one skin locating feature disposed on the second surface, the at least one skin locating feature configured to engage a skin surface of a wind turbine blade;
- the at least one locating feature(s) and at least one bond gap feature(s) integrally formed with the first surface of the spar cap and fixed relative to the first surface of the spar cap;
- and
- wherein at least one of the locating feature(s) is configured to engage a shear web, and the bond gap feature(s) is configured to engage the shear web.
4 more elements
A method of forming a wind turbine blade component comprising:
- forming a spar cap with a first surface and a second surface defining a thickness therebetween;
- forming at least one locating feature on the first surface, the at least one locating feature extending vertically from the first surface of the spar cap;
- forming at least one bond gap feature on the first surface, the at least one bond gap feature extending vertically from the first surface of the spar cap;
- wherein at least one of the locating feature(s) and bond gap feature(s) is configured to engage a shear web;
- and
- placing a shear web in contact with the at least one bond gap feature and at least one locating feature, wherein the space between the shear web and spar cap defines an air pocket;
- dispensing an adhesive within the air pocket between the shear web and spar cap;
- and
- wherein the at least one locating feature(s) and at least one bond gap feature(s) are integrally formed with the first surface of the spar cap and fixed relative to the first surface of the spar cap.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.