Patents Assigned to LM WIND POWER S/A
  • Patent number: 12005655
    Abstract: A main laminate forming a load carrying structure for a wind turbine blade, the main laminate extending in a spanwise direction from a proximal end through a transition region to a distal end, wherein the main laminate comprises: a top side, a bottom side, and a thickness direction extending between the top side and the bottom side; a pultrusion portion including a bottom pultrusion element extending to a transition end of a transition portion located in the transition region of the main laminate; a plurality of stacked fibre-reinforced elements including bottom and top fibre-reinforced elements extending to a transition end of a transition portion located in the transition region, wherein the pultrusion portion and the plurality of fibre-reinforced elements are connected by a joint in the transition region of the main laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignees: LM WIND POWER A/S, BLADE DYNAMICS LIMITED
    Inventors: Rama Razeghi, Klavs Jespersen, Kristen Hanrahan
  • Patent number: 11994100
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade comprising the steps of manufacturing a pressure shell halves and arranging a spar structure (62) within one of the shell halves. The spar structure (62) comprises two parts releasably coupled to each other. The method results in a segmented wind turbine blade for easy transportation and re-assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignees: BLADE DYNAMICS LIMITED, LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventors: David Roberts, Lars Bang Jønsson, Manish Mukherjee, Paul Todd, Mark Hancock
  • Patent number: 11988646
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a apparatus for determining at least one a bending strength of a substrate and peel strength of a joint between a structure and the substrate. The apparatus includes a fixture configured to support the structure and a plurality of support beams positioned on either sides of the fixture and configured to support the substrate. Further, the apparatus includes a plurality of load applying members, which are configured to apply load onto the substrate to deform the substrate relative to the plurality of support beams. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a sensor, which is configured to determine parameters such as axial load induced in the structure, peel stress in the joint between the substrate and the structure and bending moments on the substrate during application of load onto the substrate, to determine at least one of the bending strength and the peel strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: LM Wind Power A/S
    Inventors: Michael Wenani Nielsen, Jesper Thuesen
  • Patent number: 11988190
    Abstract: Disclosed is 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 end and a trailing edge end. A flatback profile component and web for connecting an inner surface of the lower side shell part with an inner surface of the upper side shell part are connected. The assembly which comprises the flatback profile component and the at least one web are placed on the lower shell part and the upper shell part is mounted. The wind turbine blade comprises a flatback profile component being arranged at the trailing edge, wherein the flatback profile component is coupled by at least one distance holder with at least one web, wherein the web couples the interior surface of the upwind side shell part with the interior surface of the downwind side shell part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignees: BLADE DYNAMICS LIMITED, LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventors: Manish Mukherjee, Michael Lund-Laverick
  • Patent number: 11982259
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wind turbine blade being a shell body made of a composite material and having a root end and a tip end, an outer surface, a pressure side and a suction side, a trailing edge and a leading edge, and additionally a lightning protection system. The lightning protection system comprising at least one lightning receptor provided with an outer surface arranged freely accessible in, on or at the outer surface of the blade at the tip end of the blade and a lightning conductor made of electrically conductive material extending within the shell body along substantially the entire longitudinal direction of the blade. The lightning receptor and the lightning conductor are electrically connected by means of a connection area. At least a part of the outer surface, optionally the whole of the outer surface of the receptor being freely accessible is formed of carbon such as graphite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventor: Lars Bo Hansen
  • Patent number: 11976626
    Abstract: Disclosed is a leading edge protection element for a wind turbine blade, the leading edge protection element extending in a longitudinal direction between a first edge and a second edge and extending in a transverse direction between a third edge and a fourth edge, the leading edge protection element having a first surface and a second surface. The leading edge protection element comprising a film layer having a first film surface and a second film surface, the first film surface forming the first surface of the leading edge protection element, wherein the film layer comprises a metal material. The leading edge protection element comprising a rubber layer of a rubber material having a first rubber surface and a second rubber surface, the second rubber surface forming the second surface of the leading edge protection element, wherein the second film surface and the first rubber surface are bonded to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventors: Michael Drachmann Haag, Torben Krogsdal Jacobsen, Laurids Andersen
  • 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: 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: 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: 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