Patents by Inventor Bernard Willem De Waal Malefijt

Bernard Willem De Waal Malefijt has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11691352
    Abstract: A post-moulding station is described which is used in the manufacturing of a wind turbine blade. A blade shell forming part of a wind turbine blade is initially moulded in a blade mould, the blade shell subsequently transferred to a post-moulding station which allows for various post-moulding operations to be carried out on the blade shell away from the mould, thereby increasing the productivity of the blade mould in the manufacturing process. The post-moulding station may be operable to perform the closing of first and second blade shells to form a wind turbine blade, and may be formed from an adjustable structure which can provide relatively easy access to the contained blade shell for working thereon. Accordingly, the manufacturing equipment may be of reduced cost, combined with an increase in the overall productivity of the manufacturing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: LM WP PATENT HOLDING A/S
    Inventor: Bernard Willem De Waal Malefijt
  • Patent number: 10843303
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a wind turbine blade is described which utilizes a post-moulding station in the manufacturing process. A blade shell forming part of a wind turbine blade is initially moulded in a blade mould, the blade shell subsequently transferred to a post-moulding station which allows for various post-moulding operations to be carried out on the blade shell away from the mould, thereby increasing the productivity of the blade mould in the manufacturing process. The post-moulding station may be operable to perform the closing of first and second blade shells to form a wind turbine blade, and may be formed from an adjustable structure which can provide relatively easy access to the contained blade shell for working thereon. Accordingly, the manufacturing equipment may be of reduced cost, combined with an increase in the overall productivity of the manufacturing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: LM WP PATENT HOLDING A/S
    Inventor: Bernard Willem De Waal Malefijt
  • Patent number: 10815970
    Abstract: A transport system for transport of blade shell half parts of a wind turbine blade, the blade shell half parts each having a tip end and a root end, wherein the transport system comprises a frame assembly comprising a first transport frame; and a first set of one or more separator elements, the first set of separator elements including a first primary separator element configured to separate a first blade shell half part and a second blade shell half part neighbouring the first blade shell half part such that the second blade shell half part is at least partly stacked above the first blade shell half part. Further, a blade shell half part system comprising the transport system and a plurality of blade shell half parts and related method is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: LM WP PATENT HOLDING A/S
    Inventors: Bernard Willem De Waal Malefijt, Jacobus Van Der Zee, Khajasab Khajasab
  • Publication number: 20190345917
    Abstract: A transport system for transport of blade shell half parts of a wind turbine blade, the blade shell half parts each having a tip end and a root end, wherein the transport system comprises a frame assembly comprising a first transport frame; and a first set of one or more separator elements, the first set of separator elements including a first primary separator element configured to separate a first blade shell half part and a second blade shell half part neighbouring the first blade shell half part such that the second blade shell half part is at least partly stacked above the first blade shell half part. Further, a blade shell half part system comprising the transport system and a plurality of blade shell half parts and related method is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Bernard Willem DE WAAL MALEFIJT, Jacobus VAN DER ZEE, Khajasab KHAJASAB
  • Publication number: 20180361677
    Abstract: A post-moulding station is described which is used in the manufacturing of a wind turbine blade. A blade shell forming part of a wind turbine blade is initially moulded in a blade mould, the blade shell subsequently transferred to a post-moulding station which allows for various post-moulding operations to be carried out on the blade shell away from the mould, thereby increasing the productivity of the blade mould in the manufacturing process. The post-moulding station may be operable to perform the closing of first and second blade shells to form a wind turbine blade, and may be formed from an adjustable structure which can provide relatively easy access to the contained blade shell for working thereon. Accordingly, the manufacturing equipment may be of reduced cost, combined with an increase in the overall productivity of the manufacturing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventor: Bernard Willem DE WAAL MALEFIJT
  • Patent number: 10099324
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a wind turbine blade is described which utilizes a post-molding station in the manufacturing process. A blade shell forming part of a wind turbine blade is initially molded in a blade mold, the blade shell subsequently transferred to a post-molding station which allows for various post-molding operations to be carried out on the blade shell away from the mold, thereby increasing the productivity of the blade mold in the manufacturing process. The post-molding station may be operable to perform the closing of first and second blade shells to form a wind turbine blade, and may be formed from an adjustable structure which can provide relatively easy access to the contained blade shell for working thereon. Accordingly, the manufacturing equipment may be of reduced cost, combined with an increase in the overall productivity of the manufacturing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: LM WP Patent Holding A/S
    Inventor: Bernard Willem De Waal Malefijt
  • Patent number: 10076873
    Abstract: A post-molding station is described which is used in the manufacturing of a wind turbine blade. A blade shell forming part of a wind turbine blade is initially molded in a blade mold, the blade shell subsequently transferred to a post-molding station which allows for various post-molding operations to be carried out on the blade shell away from the mold, thereby increasing the productivity of the blade mold in the manufacturing process. The post-molding station may be operable to perform the closing of first and second blade shells to form a wind turbine blade, and may be formed from an adjustable structure which can provide relatively easy access to the contained blade shell for working thereon. Accordingly, the manufacturing equipment may be of reduced cost, combined with an increase in the overall productivity of the manufacturing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: LM WP PATENT HOLDING A/S
    Inventor: Bernard Willem De Waal Malefijt
  • Publication number: 20180236617
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a wind turbine blade is described which utilizes a post-moulding station in the manufacturing process. A blade shell forming part of a wind turbine blade is initially moulded in a blade mould, the blade shell subsequently transferred to a post-moulding station which allows for various post-moulding operations to be carried out on the blade shell away from the mould, thereby increasing the productivity of the blade mould in the manufacturing process. The post-moulding station may be operable to perform the closing of first and second blade shells to form a wind turbine blade, and may be formed from an adjustable structure which can provide relatively easy access to the contained blade shell for working thereon. Accordingly, the manufacturing equipment may be of reduced cost, combined with an increase in the overall productivity of the manufacturing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventor: Bernard Willem DE WAAL MALEFIJT
  • Publication number: 20170320275
    Abstract: A method and mould system for manufacturing I-shaped shear webs for wind turbine blades are described. The mould system comprises a lower web mould part having a concave shape with diverging side parts for manufacturing first sides of I-web foot flanges, and an upper mould part having a concave shape with converging side parts for manufacturing other sides of the I-web foot flanges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Bernard Willem DE WAAL MALEFIJT, Klavs JESPERSEN, Steven HAUGE PEDERSEN, Michael Wenani NIELSEN
  • Publication number: 20170274563
    Abstract: A system and method for the manufacture of wind turbine blade moulds and wind turbine blade mould plugs is described. The method comprises dividing a blade mould geometry (70) or plug geometry into separate geometrical slices or segments. The separate slices can then be used to control a cutting of blank elements (78) to form separate cut surfaces (82). The cut surfaces are used to form a consolidated wind turbine mould surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Bernard Willem DE WAAL MALEFIJT, Ulrik WOLF, Daniel Schlichting KIRKEGAARD
  • Patent number: 9539759
    Abstract: A blade support cradle is described, which can be used to support a section of a wind turbine blade using an array of vacuum clamps. The cradle provides a secure and reliable system for the support of a blade section during and after blade manufacture, allowing for various operations to be easily carried out on the surface of the blade section. A method for receiving a blade section in the cradle is further described. In addition, the cradle may be used as part of a blade post-molding station in a method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: LM WP PATENT HOLDING A/S
    Inventors: Bernard Willem De Waal Malefijt, Rasmus Duegaard Jensen
  • Publication number: 20150056081
    Abstract: A post-moulding station is described which is used in the manufacturing of a wind turbine blade. A blade shell forming part of a wind turbine blade is initially moulded in a blade mould, the blade shell subsequently transferred to a post-moulding station which allows for various post-moulding operations to be carried out on the blade shell away from the mould, thereby increasing the productivity of the blade mould in the manufacturing process. The post-moulding station may be operable to perform the closing of first and second blade shells to form a wind turbine blade, and may be formed from an adjustable structure which can provide relatively easy access to the contained blade shell for working thereon. Accordingly, the manufacturing equipment may be of reduced cost, combined with an increase in the overall productivity of the manufacturing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: Bernard Willem De Waal Malefijt
  • Publication number: 20150033544
    Abstract: A blade support cradle is described, which can be used to support a section of a wind turbine blade using an array of vacuum clamps. The cradle provides a secure and reliable system for the support of a blade section during and after blade manufacture, allowing for various operations to be easily carried out on the surface of the blade section. A method for receiving a blade section in the cradle is further described. In addition, the cradle may be used as part of a blade post-moulding station in a method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Bernard Willem De Waal Malefijt, Rasmus Duegaard Jensen
  • Publication number: 20150010405
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a wind turbine blade is described which utilises a post-moulding station in the manufacturing process. A blade shell forming part of a wind turbine blade is initially moulded in a blade mould, the blade shell subsequently transferred to a post-moulding station which allows for various post-moulding operations to be carried out on the blade shell away from the mould, thereby increasing the productivity of the blade mould in the manufacturing process. The post-moulding station may be operable to perform the closing of first and second blade shells to form a wind turbine blade, and may be formed from an adjustable structure which can provide relatively easy access to the contained blade shell for working thereon. Accordingly, the manufacturing equipment may be of reduced cost, combined with an increase in the overall productivity of the manufacturing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventor: Bernard Willem De Waal Malefijt