# US 9,039,372 B2 · Wind turbine blade > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,039,372 B2 - Document ID: US9039372B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/967,455 - Filed: 2010-12-14 - Published: 2011-05-19 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2007-04-30 - Assignees: Vestas Wind Systems A/S - Applicants: Mark Hancock; Wuh Ken Loh; Yun Chong Gabriel Chang - Inventors: Mark Hancock; Wuh Ken Loh; Yun Chong Gabriel Chang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039372B2 ## CPC - F03D 7/0232: {with flaps or slats (with aerodynamic drag devices on the blades for braking F03D7/0252)} - F03D 1/0675: {of the blades} - F05B 2240/3052: adjustable - F05B 2240/31: of changeable form or shape - Y02B 10/30: Wind power - Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction - F03D: WIND MOTORS - 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 - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract The invention relates to a wind turbine blade with at least one control surface and an actuator inside the main body of the wind turbine blade for moving the control surface, wherein the actuator comprises a fluidic muscle, a controller and a pump, and wherein the fluidic muscle is adapted to change in length and width when the pressure of the fluid within the fluidic muscle is varied. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wind turbine blade comprising: a blade body, at least one blade control surface, and an actuator for moving the at least one blade control surface relative to the blade body, wherein the actuator comprises a fluidic muscle adapted to contract in a chordwise direction when the pressure of the fluid within the fluidic muscle increases, such that the at least one blade control surface is drawn from a first operating position into a second operating position, and wherein the control surface is made of a pretensioned resilient material, such that the control surface is biased to move from the second operating position to the first operating position when the fluidic muscle is relaxed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein the actuator contains at least one pair of fluidic muscles, and wherein one fluidic muscle of the pair acts to move the blade control surface from a first position to a second position, and the second fluidic muscle of the pair acts to move the blade control surface from a second position to a first position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein the fluidic muscle is housed in a compartment in the blade body. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein a first end of the fluidic muscle is attached to the blade body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The wind turbine blade of claim 4, wherein the first end of the fluidic muscle is coupled to a structural spar in the main body. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein a second end of the fluidic muscle is coupled to the at least one blade control surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The wind turbine blade of claim 6, wherein the at least one blade control surface comprises a first side, forming a part of the external surface of the blade, and an extension portion of the first side for extending into the blade body and coupling to the second end of the fluidic muscle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The wind turbine blade of claim 7, comprising a shoulder for applying tension to the extension portion of the at least one blade control surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The wind turbine blade of claim 8, wherein the shoulder comprises a roller. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The wind turbine blade of claim 8, wherein the shoulder is a curved guide surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein the blade body comprises a rear spar located adjacent the at least one blade control surface in the chordwise direction, and the fluidic muscle couples to the at least one blade control surface through a slot in the rear spar. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade of claim 1, where the at least one blade control surface comprises a first side, forming a part of the external surface of the blade, and wherein the first side is truncated to leave a gap between the first side and the blade body to accommodate movement of the at least one blade control surface from the first to the second position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The wind turbine blade of claim 12, comprising a cover, extending from the blade body towards the first side to substantially cover the gap. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The wind turbine blade of claim 12, comprising an actuator member extending between the fluidic muscle and the first side of the at least one blade control surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein the fluidic muscle is arranged in a substantially chordwise direction to the blade body. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade of claim 1, comprising a supply pipe for providing fluid to the fluidic muscle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The wind turbine blade of claim 16, wherein the supply pipe is pressurized. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The wind turbine of claim 16, comprising a valve for controlling the flow of fluid to the fluidic muscle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The wind turbine of claim 18, wherein the valve is a solenoid valve. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a local fluid storage tank. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a pump coupled directly to the fluidic muscle. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein the actuator is operable to provide at least a first flap operating position, a second flap operating position and a third flap operating position. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein the at least one control surface is a trailing edge flap on the trailing edge of the blade. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) A wind turbine comprising the wind turbine blade of claim 1. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The wind turbine of claim 24, comprising: an actuator controller; and a pump for supplying fluid under pressure to one or more fluidic muscles located in the wind turbine blades.