Patents Assigned to LM WIND POWER A/S
  • Patent number: 11971009
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade shell part made of a fibre-reinforced composite structure, including steps of mounting a plurality of fastening devices on a mounting plate to form a root end assembly, the mounting plate comprising one or more first openings for evacuating air; arranging the root end assembly over a mould surface of a mould; arranging an air-tight cover member so as to form a mould cavity; evacuating air from the mould cavity via at least the one or more first openings of the mounting plate; and supplying a polymer into the mould cavity and allowing the polymer to cure so as to form the composite structure. A root end assembly for use in the method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventors: Artur Ferfecki, Lars Nielsen
  • Patent number: 11939956
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for detecting concealed emerging defects in a structure of a wind turbine blade, and a wind turbine blade comprising a first acoustical transducer fastened to a first area of a surface of a structure of the wind turbine blade, and wherein the first acoustical transducer is configured to, while the wind turbine blade being attached to a hub of a wind turbine and the wind turbine is operating: emit a first primary acoustic signal through the surface of the structure and into the structure; and receive a first secondary acoustic signal indicative of an echo of the first primary acoustic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventor: Isaac Alejandro Martinez Tovar
  • Patent number: 11939948
    Abstract: Disclosed is a blade shell section of a wind turbine blade, such as wind turbine blade with a flatback section. The blade shell section extends in a longitudinal direction from a first shell section position to a second shell section position. The blade shell section comprises a first laminate layer forming the outer surface of the blade shell section and a second laminate layer forming the inner surface of the blade shell section. The blade shell section further comprising a first shell section and a corner shell section between the contour shell section and the flatback shell section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignees: LM WIND POWER A/S, LM WIND POWER R&D (HOLLAND) B.V., BLADE DYNAMICS LIMITED
    Inventors: Manish Mukherjee, Laszlo Bartha, Aydin Raeis Hosseiny, Sigmund Wenningsted
  • Patent number: 11898535
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade measurement system for optically determining a torsion of a wind turbine blade is disclosed. The wind turbine blade measurement system comprises: a wind turbine blade, which is configured to be mounted to a hub of a wind turbine, a first camera, and an auxiliary camera. The first camera is mounted in a fixed position on a support structure on an exterior surface of the root section of the wind turbine blade and arranged so as to measure along the spanwise direction of the wind turbine blade. The auxiliary camera is arranged at a position outside of the wind turbine blade, the auxiliary camera being arranged so as to being able to carry out measurements of a plurality of sets of markers arranged on the surface of the wind turbine blade and an orientation of at least one of the support structure and the first camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventor: Andreas Herrig
  • Patent number: 11885307
    Abstract: Disclosed is a wind turbine blade comprising a first blade section extending along a longitudinal axis from a root end to a first end and a second blade section extending along the longitudinal axis from a second end to a tip end. The wind turbine blade comprising a spar beam configured for connecting the first blade section and the second blade section. The first blade section comprises a first down conductor and the second blade section comprises a second down conductor. The wind turbine blade comprises a conductive connector element for electrically connecting the first down conductor and the second down conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventors: Mathilde Aubrion, Boas Eiriksson
  • Patent number: 11884029
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade using a two-step curing process, wherein the second curing is performed in the presence of a resin flow medium (76) comprising a curing inhibitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventors: Lars Nielsen, Klavs Jespersen
  • Patent number: 11885293
    Abstract: An extendable wind turbine blade for being extended in length during operation thereof, the wind turbine blade having an exterior surface with a root region and an airfoil region and comprising a first blade segment including a first portion of the exterior surface, a second blade segment including a second portion of the exterior surface, and a connection mechanism connecting the blade segments, and being configured to bring the wind turbine blade to a retracted state, in which the portions of the exterior surface are flush and adjoining, when the wind turbine blade operates above a threshold rotational speed and to bring the wind turbine blade to an extended state, in which the portions of the exterior surface are disconnected and the blade length is at least 101% of the blade length in the retracted state, when the wind turbine blade operates below the threshold rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: LM Wind Power A/S
    Inventors: John Korsgaard, Jelmer Cnossen
  • Patent number: 11865744
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade part. The method comprises providing one or more wind turbine blade components including a wind turbine blade component comprising a fibre material element, an electrically conductive element, a magnetic field generator for generating an Eddy current in the electrically conductive element; arranging the electrically conductive element, the magnetic field generator, and the fibre material element such that at least a part of the fibre material element is positioned between the electrically conductive element and the magnetic field generator; generating an Eddy current in the electrically conductive element using the magnetic field generator; generating, using a magnetic sensor, a signal representing a magnetic field induced by the generated Eddy current, and forming the wind turbine blade part by assembling the wind turbine blade components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventors: Ya Min Jørgensen, Lars Nielsen, Klavs Jespersen
  • Patent number: 11846266
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to fastener assemblies (400) for a wind turbine blade (22) to rotor hub (20) connection, wherein the fastener assembly (400) comprises a fastener (401) and one or more sleeves (410) configured to absorb the ingress of liquid into a blade root insert (220). The present disclosure also relates to wind turbine hub assemblies (1000) and associated methods (700).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignees: LM WIND POWER A/S, LM WIND POWER (SPAIN) S.A.
    Inventors: Michael Wenani Nielsen, Diego Vidal Rebollal
  • Patent number: 11835336
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a measuring device for characterising a shape of a surface of an item, such as a wind turbine blade fibre layup, wherein the measuring device comprises: a frame comprising a holding frame, a first set of two or more probes movably held in the holding frame, each probe having a respective probe end for contacting the surface of the item, and electronic sensing means configured to provide for each probe a respective electrical signal representative of a position of the probe relative to the holding frame. A method for calibrating such a device is provided. Further, a method for characterising a shape of a surface of an item is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventors: Casper Kildegaard, Ya Min Jørgensen
  • Patent number: 11794379
    Abstract: A turning system for turning wind turbine blade shell part carriers between an open position and a closed position about a turning axis, comprising: a lower blade shell part carrier having a support surface for receiving and supporting a lower wind turbine blade part; an upper blade shell part carrier and having a support surface for receiving and supporting an upper wind turbine blade part; and at least one turning device each including: a lower hinge element, such as a beam, arranged under the support surface of the lower blade shell part carrier; and a turning hinge having a lower hinge part attached to the respective lower hinge element, an upper hinge part attached to the upper blade shell part carrier, and an actuator configured for turning the lower and upper hinge parts relative to each other about the turning axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventors: Maria De L. M. Arias, Rune Brøgger Hahn, Ivan Kaab Mosegaard
  • Patent number: 11795920
    Abstract: Disclosed is a wind turbine blade comprising a first blade section and a second blade section connected to the first blade section. The wind turbine blade comprises a first down conductor for conducting lightning current to ground. The blade further comprises one or more lightning receptors at or in proximity of an external surface of the wind turbine blade. A smallest distance from a first lightning receptor of the one or more lightning receptors to an interface between the first blade section and the second blade section may be less than or equal to a chord length of a chord of the wind turbine blade at the interface between the first blade section and the second blade section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventors: Mathilde Aubrion, Boas Eiriksson
  • Patent number: 11794443
    Abstract: A fabric and a method for making the same. The fabric includes a layer of unidirectionally oriented carbon fibre filaments sandwiched between a first layer of glass fibre rovings and a second layer of glass fibre rovings. The first layer of glass fibre rovings and the second layer of glass fibre rovings are linked by a connecting material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventors: Jens Zangenberg Hansen, Michael Scholarth Koefoed, Klavs Jespersen, Lars Nielsen, Morten Rask-Nielsen
  • Patent number: 11781523
    Abstract: A method for assembling a shell section of a wind turbine blade includes providing a support, the support comprising a surface having a primary surface portion configured for supporting a first component and a secondary surface portion configured for supporting a second component. The method also includes arranging a second component on the secondary surface portion such that an outer surface of the second component is facing the secondary surface portion. The method further includes arranging a first component on the primary surface portion such that an outer surface of the first component is facing the primary surface portion, and such that a first primary joint surface of the first component is facing a second joint surface of the second component. Arranging the first component includes applying a force to the first component to force the outer surface of the first component towards the primary surface portion and the first primary joint surface towards the second joint surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: LM Wind Power A/S
    Inventors: Gregory Walter Lorenz, Christopher Daniel Caruso, Fritz Andres Campo, Christopher Monk, Brian Scott Redmon
  • Patent number: 11773821
    Abstract: A method for assembling a component, such as a wind turbine blade, includes providing a first element of the component and providing a second element of the component. An alignment member is inserted at a predefined position in one of the first or second elements, the alignment member having a predefined shape. The alignment member is positioned within a receiver portion of the other of the first or second elements along a joining portion, and the first and second elements are then joined. During the joining process, the alignment member aligns along a longitudinal axis of at least one of the first or second elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: LM Wind Power A/S
    Inventors: Peter Hansen, Hans Minnee
  • Patent number: 11719221
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade (10, 610) for a rotor of a wind turbine (2) having a substantially horizontal rotor shaft is described. A surface mounted device (70, 70?, 170, 270, 370, 470, 570, 670, 770) is attached to a surface of the wind turbine blade (10). The surface mounted device (70, 70?, 170, 270, 370, 470, 570, 670, 770) is attached to the surface of the wind turbine blade (10, 610) via at least a first attachment part (77, 77?), which is connected to a part of the surface mounted device (70, 70?, 170, 270, 370, 470, 570, 670, 770). The attachment part (77, 77?) comprises a flexible housing (80, 80?, 680, 780) that forms a cavity (81, 81?, 681, 781) between at least the housing (80, 80?, 680, 780) and the surface of the wind turbine blade (10, 610). The cavity (80, 80?, 680, 780) is filled with an adhesive that provides an adhesive bonding to the surface of the wind turbine blade (10, 610).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventors: Kristian Lehmann Madsen, Jesper Høeg, Casper Kildegaard, Steven Hauge Pedersen
  • Patent number: 11667087
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a wind turbine blade and a method for its manufacture. A lower shell part and an upper shell part are provided, each shell part having a leading edge and a trailing edge. A first shear web and a second shear web for connecting an inner surface of the lower shell part with an inner surface of the upper shell part are provided. The first shear web and the second shear web are connected by a first distance member in a chordwise direction. The first distance member is arranged for accommodating a variable chordwise distance between said first shear web and said second shear web. The first shear web and the second shear web are placed in the lower shell part and the upper shell part is mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignees: LM Wind Power A/S, LM Wind Power R & D (Holland) B.V., LM Wind Power Blades (India)Private Limited
    Inventors: Michael Wenani Nielsen, Pavel Zhuravlov, Suresh Babu Gangavaram Pandarinath
  • Patent number: 11661918
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a wind turbine rotor blade assembly comprising a rotor blade and a noise reducer (70) configured on the rotor blade. The noise reducer (70) comprises a plurality of aligned spine members (72), each spine member having a length and comprising a first section (74) extending along a first part of the length of the spine member, and a second section (76) extending along a second part of the length of the spine member, wherein the first section (74) has a higher stiffness than the second section (76).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventor: Carlos Arce León
  • Patent number: 11623369
    Abstract: A gripping device (76) is provided for lifting a preform for a wind turbine blade from a preform mould (71). The gripping device (76) comprises a base frame (62), a plurality of arms (78) slidably mounted on the base frame (62), each arm (78) having a proximal end and a distal end, a plurality of gripping members (86) for gripping a top surface (75) of the preform. The vertical position of one or more arms (78) of the gripping device (76) relative to the base frame (62) may change when lowering the gripping device (76) towards a preform to reflect the top surface (75) of the perform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventor: Kristian Lehmann Madsen
  • Patent number: 11608815
    Abstract: Disclosed is a wind turbine blade comprising a shell body, a down conductor arranged in the shell body for conducting lightning current to ground, an electrical connector arranged in electrical connection with the down conductor, a lightning receptor element arranged at a surface of the shell body or outside the shell body, the lightning receptor element being in electrical connection with the electrical connector. A method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade with a lightning protection system is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventors: Lars Bo Hansen, Mathilde Aubrion, Christian Elkjaer-Holm, Madhusudhan Nanjedevanapura Veerappa