Patents Assigned to LM Glasfiber A/S
  • Patent number: 8807940
    Abstract: A blade for a wind turbine rotor with a hub is described. The object of the invention is to provide a wind turbine blade of the modern, aerodynamic type with improved regulating properties to enhance the adjustment of the wind turbine to various wind conditions, and where no mechanical parts are needed near the tip area. At least one slot or a number of holes arranged in at least one longitudinally extending zone, thereby allowing an interior cavity of the blade to communicate with the exterior. The amount of air emitted from the interior cavity to the exterior is also regulated to alter the aerodynamic properties of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/S
    Inventors: Peter Grabau, Stefano Bove
  • Patent number: 8808794
    Abstract: The present invention relates in general to a method of manufacturing fibre-reinforced parts for a wind power plant, such as a blade, in an open mould. More specifically the invention relates to a process step of applying at least one layer of gelcoat on a interior surface of said open mould prior to arranging at least one layer of material comprising fibre and to an arrangement that can be used in performing said method. The process step comprises to apply the gelcoat from a first end portion of the mould and to a second end portion of the mould and to cover the open mould from said first end portion to said second end portion gradually as gelcoat is applied. The arrangement comprises means for applying gelcoat to the interior surface of the mould (1) and a covering means (6) arranged to gradually cover the open mould (1) as gelcoat is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/S
    Inventors: Dennis A. Børsting, Qinyin Zhou, Jacobus Johannes Van Der Zee, Rajkumar Rajamani
  • Patent number: 8808491
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for cutting out balsa blanket parts comprising the following steps: providing on a surface of a conveyor (12) a row of balsa blankets (1) abutting each other end edge to end edge in butt areas at the joining stations (14.1-14.5); interjoining the balsa blankets (1) in the butt areas at the joining stations (14.1-14.5) to form a balsa blanket web; feeding the balsa blanket web in a direction of feed (F) to a cutting station (15) where the balsa blanket web is stepwise conveyed and cut through crosswise at positions to form the desired parts; providing a next row of balsa blankets on the surface of the conveyor when the rearmost end edge on the rearmost blanket of the balsa blanket web is at the last joining station (14.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/S
    Inventor: Gert Sørensen
  • Patent number: 8794919
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a wind turbine blade for a rotor of a wind turbine having a substantially horizontal rotor shaft. The blade may comprise a profiled contour comprising a pressure side and a suction side as well as a leading edge and a trailing edge, a chord extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge, and the profiled contour generating a lift when being impacted by an incident airflow. In a cross section of the wind turbine blade perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of the wind turbine blade, a suction side point is defined on the suction side at the trailing edge of the blade, and a pressure side point is defined on the pressure side at the trailing edge of the blade. The suction side point is movable in relation to the pressure side point, and the blade is further provided with a displacement device configured to displace the pressure side point and the suction side point so that a distance between the suction side point and the pressure side point can be varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/S
    Inventors: Peter Baek, Peter Grabau
  • Patent number: 8770966
    Abstract: A mold assembly comprises a first (1) and a second mold part (2) said mold assembly further comprising a hinge mechanism optionally detachably connected to the two mold parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/S
    Inventor: Karsten Schibsbye
  • Patent number: 8770940
    Abstract: A blade section for a wind turbine blade, the blade section extending along a longitudinal axis and having at least a first end, the blade section comprising a main blade section with a contour having an outer surface. The main blade section at the first end is provided with a number of connection elements, each connection element being pivotally engaged with the main blade section about a rotational axis. Each of the connection elements being provided with a joining means for anchoring each of the connection element to another blade section. The joining means of each of the number of connection elements is arranged in a distance from the rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/S
    Inventor: Rajkumar Rajamani
  • Publication number: 20140183772
    Abstract: Producing a composite structure comprising fibre reinforced material impregnated with liquid resin by means of vacuum assisted resin transfer moulding, by method of: providing a forming structure comprising a rigid mould part and a second mould part; placing the fibre material in the rigid mould part; sealing the second mould part against the rigid mould part, forming a mould cavity; connecting a source of uncured fluid resin to at least one resin inlet communicating with the mould cavity; connecting at least one vacuum outlet communicating with the mould cavity; evacuating the interior of the forming structure through at least one vacuum outlet, measuring at least one vacuum outlet airflow level; supplying uncured resin from the source of uncured resin to the mould cavity through at least one resin inlet so as to fill the mould cavity with resin; and curing the resin in order to form the composite structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: LM Glasfiber A/S
    Inventor: Karsten SCHIBSBYE
  • Patent number: 8721829
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of cutting off laminate layers for use in a fiber-reinforced laminate object comprising a number of combined laminate layers, wherein, along a section of the at least one rim of the laminate layer, a tapering cut is performed through the thickness of the laminate layer, whereby the thickness of the laminate layer is reduced. Since not only the number of laminate layers, but also the thickness of the individual laminate layers are reduced, a laminate layer is accomplished that can be used in a laminate object, by which both the issues of areas rich in resin, air pockets and the risk of delamination are reduced. The invention also relates to a laminate layer for use in a fiber-reinforced laminate object comprising a number of combined laminate layers and a fiber-reinforced laminate object in the form of the blade of a wind turbine, wherein the blade of the wind turbine comprises a number of combined laminate layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/S
    Inventors: Torben Krogsdal Jacobsen, Morten Dahl
  • Patent number: 8708014
    Abstract: A method for producing a composite structure comprising fiber reinforced material by means of vacuum assisted resin transfer molding is described. The fiber material is impregnated with liquid resin, and the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a forming structure comprising a rigid mold part and a second mold part, b) placing the fiber material in the rigid mold part, c) sealing the second mold part against the rigid mold part to form a mold cavity, d) connecting a source of uncured fluid resin to at least one resin inlet communicating with the mold cavity, e) connecting at least one vacuum outlet communicating with the mold cavity, f) evacuating the interior of the forming structure through the at least one vacuum outlet, g) supplying uncured resin from the source of uncured resin to the mold cavity through the at least one resin inlet so as to fill the mold cavity with resin, and h) curing the resin in order to form the composite structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/S
    Inventor: Karsten Schibsbye
  • Publication number: 20140079838
    Abstract: Manufacturing line for manufacturing wind turbine blades having a composite shell structure comprising a matrix material and a fibre reinforcement material by use of a resin transfer moulding process is used to assemble wind turbine blades formed in a number of moulds, including at least a first mould part having a first mould cavity. A gantry moves along the manufacturing line, in which the manufacture includes a) arranging fibre reinforcement material in the first mould cavity of a first mould using the gantry means, b) moving the gantry means along the manufacturing line to a second mould, c) supplying curable matrix material into the first mould cavity of the first mould, while substantially simultaneously arranging fibre reinforcement material in the first mould cavity of a second mould using the gantry means. The manufacturing line comprises a plurality of moulds for forming wind turbine blades.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: LM GLASFIBER A/S
    Inventors: Denis Andre BORSTING, Quinyin ZHOU, Jacobus Johannes VAN DER ZEE
  • Patent number: 8617338
    Abstract: A method and a manufacturing line for manufacturing wind turbine blades having a composite shell structure comprising a matrix material and a fiber reinforcement material by use of a resin transfer moulding process. The method comprises a manufacturing line, where wind turbine blades are formed in a number of moulds. Each number of moulds comprising at least a first mould part comprising a first mould cavity. The manufacturing line further comprises a gantry means movable along the manufacturing line. The method comprises the following steps: a) arranging fiber reinforcement material in the first mould cavity of a first mould using the gantry means, b) moving the gantry means along the manufacturing line to a second mould, c) supplying curable matrix material into the first mould cavity of the first mould, while substantially simultaneously arranging fiber reinforcement material in the first mould cavity of a second mould using the gantry means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/S
    Inventors: Dennis André Børsting, Qinyin Zhou, Jacobus Johannes van der Zee
  • Patent number: 8579594
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade having a longitudinal direction with a root end and a tip end as well as a chord extending in a transverse direction between a leading edge and a trailing edge is described. The blade comprises a flow control surface with a suction side and a pressure side. A number of boundary layer control means is formed in the flow control surface. The boundary layer control means include a channel submerged in the flow control surface with a first end facing towards the leading edge and a second end facing towards the trailing edge of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/S
    Inventors: Peter Fuglsang, Stefano Bove
  • Publication number: 20130272891
    Abstract: Provided is a blade for a rotor of a wind turbine having a substantially horizontal rotor shaft, said rotor comprising a hub, from which the blade extends substantially radially when mounted, said blade having a chord plane extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge of said blade, a root area closest to the hub, an airfoil area furthest away from the hub, a transition area between the root area and the airfoil area, a first airfoil extending substantially along the entire airfoil area, and a second airfoil separately mounted to the blade, said second airfoil arranged at a mutual distance transverse to the chord plane and extending along the root area of the blades.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: LM GLASFIBER A/S
    Inventor: Peter GRABAU
  • Publication number: 20130266449
    Abstract: A use of a core block for an impregnation process as well as a composite structure comprising such a core block is described. The core block has a first surface and a second surface, and a number of first grooves is formed in the first surface of the core. Furthermore, a number of second grooves is formed in the second surface of the core. The first grooves have a first height (h1) and a bottom, and the first grooves and the second grooves are part of a resin distribution network formed in the core block. The distance (t) between the bottom of the first grooves and the second surface of the core block is of such a size that the core block is flexible along the first grooves. Additionally, the sum of the first height and the second height is larger than the thickness of the core block, and at least one of the first grooves in the first surface of the core block crosses at least one of the second grooves in the second surface of the core block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: LM GLASFIBER A/S
    Inventors: Tommy MIKKELSEN, Morten STAGE
  • Patent number: 8550777
    Abstract: A blade element (42; 44; 46; 48; 150; 250; 350) for mounting on a wind turbine blade (10) is provided. The blade (10) has a longitudinal direction (L) and a chord extending transversely to the longitudinal direction between a leading edge (18) and a trailing edge (20). The blade (10) has an airfoil profile with a thickness between a suction side and a pressure side along at least a part of the longitudinal direction (L) and with a position of maximum thickness between the leading edge (18) and the trailing edge (20). The blade element (10) has a shape so that, by mounting in a first longitudinal part of the wind turbine blade (10), it changes the profile of the first longitudinal part from a first airfoil profile (100; 200; 300) with an essentially pointed trailing edge (100; 200; 300) and a first chord length (c11; c21; c31) to a changed airfoil profile with a blunt trailing edge (153; 253; 353).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/S
    Inventor: Casper Kildegaard
  • Patent number: 8550787
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade having a longitudinal direction with a root end and a tip end as well as a chord extending in a transverse direction between a leading edge and a trailing edge is described. The blade comprises a flow control surface with a suction side and a pressure side. A number of boundary layer control structures are formed in the flow control surface. The boundary layer control structures include a channel submerged in the flow control surface with a first end facing towards the leading edge and a second end facing towards the trailing edge of the blade. The channel further comprises a bottom surface extending from the first end to the second end. The channel at the first end comprises a first channel zone comprising a first sub-channel having a first cross-sectional area and a second sub-channel having a second cross-sectional area, the first sub-channel and the second sub-channel crossing each other at a point of crossing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/S
    Inventors: Peter Fuglsang, Stefano Bove
  • Patent number: 8545182
    Abstract: This invention relates to a wind turbine blade with at least two connection members such as bushings and/or threaded bars in the root of the blade for attaching the blade to a hub. The connection members are placed along the blade surface and at least some of the connection members are non-parallel and hence oriented in different directions. Hereby is obtained that the root section of the blade can be shortened and the maximum chord of the wind turbine blade can be moved closer to the hub, whereby the part of the blade exploiting the wind is increased and the power output similarly increased. The present invention further relates to a pitch bearing and a hub comprising a bearing ring with two or more holes for positioning fastening members for attaching a wind turbine blade to the bearing. Here, correspondingly, at least two of the holes are oriented in different angles so that the fastening members positioned in the holes are non-parallel and extend in different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/S
    Inventor: Tommy Sørensen
  • Patent number: 8500403
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a table for a wind turbine equipped with attachment devices 103 for attaching servicing equipment, 401, 402, said attachment means being attached at and accessible from the blade exterior. They may be located in cavities and be covered when not in use. Hereby it is accomplished that the blade can be serviced and repaired while positioned horizontally without the attachment devices as such otherwise influencing the aerodynamic properties of the blade. One possibility is that during manufacturing such a cavity is closed but the cavity can later be broken open. Additionally, the invention relates to a wind turbine featuring such blade and a method of servicing a blade when mounted on a wind turbine, wherein servicing equipment is attached to at least one attachment device in the blade. It is furthermore mentioned, that the attachment devices might be used when mounting a blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/S
    Inventor: Peter Grabau
  • Patent number: 8469672
    Abstract: Provided is a blade for a rotor of a wind turbine having a substantially horizontal rotor shaft, said rotor comprising a hub, from which the blade extends substantially radially when mounted, said blade having a chord plane extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge of said blade, a root area closest to the hub, an airfoil area furthest away from the hub, a transition area between the root area and the airfoil area, a first airfoil extending substantially along the entire airfoil area, and a second airfoil separately mounted to the blade, said second airfoil arranged at a mutual distance transverse to the chord plane and extending along the root area of the blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/S
    Inventor: Peter Grabau
  • Patent number: 8449804
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a composite structure comprising fiber reinforced material by means of vacuum assisted resin transfer molding, where fiber material is impregnated with liquid resin. The method comprises an evacuation process of a mold cavity by initially providing an under-pressure in a part of the mold cavity in order to provide a first vacuum front having a first pressure gradient oriented towards a first side of the forming structure, and a second vacuum front with a second pressure gradient oriented towards a second side of the forming structure, and controlling the first vacuum front and the second front to move towards the first side and the second side of the forming structure, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/S
    Inventor: Karsten Schibsbye