# US 2022/0034293 A1 · Improvements relating to wind turbine blade manufacture > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0034293 A1 - Document ID: US20220034293A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/298,771 - Filed: 2019-12-09 - Published: 2022-02-03 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-10 - Assignees: Vestas Wind Systems A/S - Applicants: Vestas Wind Systems A/S - Inventors: Robert Charles Preston - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220034293A1 ## CPC - F03D 1/0675: {of the blades} - B29C 70/302: {Details of the edges of fibre composites, e.g. edge finishing or means to avoid delamination} - B29C 70/304: {In-plane lamination by juxtaposing or interleaving of plies, e.g. scarf joining} - B29C 70/48: and impregnating the reinforcements in the closed mould, e.g. resin transfer moulding [RTM] {, e.g. by vacuum} - B29L 2031/085: {Wind turbine blades} - F05B 2230/60: Assembly methods - F05B 2250/71: curved - F05B 2280/6003: Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced - F05B 2280/6013: Fibres - F05B 2280/6015: Resin - 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 - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES - 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 - 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 A wind turbine blade shear web comprises an elongate panel (28) having a first side and an opposing second side and a longitudinally extending flange (30a, 30b) arranged along a longitudinal edge of the panel. The flange comprises a plurality of elongate flange sections (46) arranged along the first side of the panel and integrated therewith. Each flange section comprises a plurality of elongate flange elements arranged one on top of another and offset from one another in a longitudinal direction of the flange section (46) such that the offset between the flange elements defines a tapered portion at each of a first and second longitudinal end of the flange section. The tapered portions of longitudinally adjacent flange sections overlap to define at least one scarf joint between said adjacent flange sections. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wind turbine blade shear web, the shear web comprising an elongate panel having a first side and an opposing second side and a longitudinally extending flange arranged along a longitudinal edge of the panel, the flange comprising a plurality of elongate flange sections arranged along the first side of the panel and integrated therewith, each flange section comprising a plurality of elongate flange elements arranged one on top of another and offset from one another in a longitudinal direction of the flange section such that the offset between the flange elements defines a tapered portion at each of a first and second longitudinal end of the flange section, wherein the tapered portions of longitudinally adjacent flange sections overlap to define at least one scarf joint between said adjacent flange sections. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The shear web of claim 1, wherein the plurality of flange elements are substantially L-shaped in cross-section, each flange element comprising a base and an upstand, wherein the upstand extends substantially away from the base. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The shear web of claim 1, wherein the plurality of flange sections are substantially L-shaped in cross-section such that each flange section comprises a base and an upstand, wherein the upstand extends substantially away from the base. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The shear web of claim 3, further comprising a plurality of flange sections arranged along the second side of the panel, wherein the upstands of the flange sections on the first side of the panel face towards the upstands of the flange sections on the second side of the panel, such that the longitudinally extending flange has a substantially T-shaped cross-section. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The shear web of claim 4, wherein longitudinal ends of the plurality of flange sections on the first side of the elongate panel are longitudinally offset from longitudinal ends of the plurality of flange sections on the second side of the elongate panel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The shear web of claim 3, wherein the tapered portions at the first and second ends of each flange section are formed in the base of the flange section and each define one of an upward or downward facing scarfed surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The shear web of claim 3, wherein the upstand of each flange section comprises a tapered portion at first and second longitudinal ends thereof, the tapered portions defining first and second scarfed surfaces of the upstand. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The shear web of claim 1, wherein the flange elements comprise a fibrous material such as +/−45 degree biaxial fabric, the fibrous material comprising less than 30% of fibres oriented in a longitudinal direction of the flange element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The shear web of claim 1, wherein each flange section is of laminate construction, comprising a plurality of flange elements in a cured resin matrix. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A wind turbine blade comprising the shear web of claim 1. ### Claim 11 A method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade shear web, the method comprising; arranging an elongate panel; arranging a plurality of flange sections along a longitudinal edge of the elongate panel, the flange sections each comprising a plurality of elongate flange elements arranged one on top of another and offset from one another in a longitudinal direction of the flange section so as to form tapered portions at respective first and second longitudinal ends of each flange section, wherein the tapered portions of longitudinally adjacent flange sections overlap to define at least one scarf joint between said adjacent flange sections; and integrating the plurality of flange sections and the elongate panel to form a wind turbine blade shear web. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein arranging the plurality of flange sections along a longitudinal edge of the elongate panel comprises arranging a plurality of flange elements on each of a first and second side of the elongate panel to form a flange having a substantially T-shaped cross section. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the flange elements have a substantially L-shaped cross section, and wherein arranging the plurality of flange sections along a longitudinal edge of the elongate panel comprises arranging a plurality of flange elements back to back to form a flange section having a substantially T-shaped cross section. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein a layer of permeable material is arranged between adjacent flange sections when arranging the plurality of flange sections with the elongate panel. ### Claim 15 A method of forming a flange section of a shear web of a wind turbine blade, the method comprising: providing a plurality of flange elements; arranging the plurality of flange elements in an array such that consecutive flange elements are positioned on top of one another; arranging consecutive flange elements in the array such that first and second longitudinal ends thereof are longitudinally offset from one another to form tapered portions at respective first and second longitudinal ends of the flange section; and bonding the plurality of flange elements together to form the flange section. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein adjacent flange elements in the array are arranged with at least one longitudinal edge offset from a corresponding longitudinal edge of a neighbouring flange element to form a taper in a direction normal to the longitudinal direction of the flange section. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises arranging at least one additional flange element alongside the array of flange elements to form a substantially T-shaped flange section. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one additional flange element is arranged such that a first end of the additional flange element is longitudinally offset from the tapered portion at the first end of the array, and a second end of the at least one additional flange element is longitudinally off set from the tapered portion at the second end of the array. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein a plurality of additional flange elements are arranged alongside the array of flange elements, and wherein the plurality of additional flange elements are arranged one on top of another and offset from one another to form tapered portions at first and second longitudinal ends of the flange section.