Wind blade spar cap and method of making
First Claim
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1. A wind blade spar cap for strengthening a wind blade comprising:
- an integral, unitary three-dimensional woven material having a first end and a second end, corresponding to a root end of the blade and a tip end of the blade, wherein the material tapers in width from the first to the second end while maintaining a constant thickness and decreasing weight therebetween, the cap being capable of being affixed to the blade for providing increased strength with controlled variation in weight from the root end to the tip end based upon the tapered width of the material thereof.
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Abstract
A wind blade spar cap formed of an integral, unitary 3-D woven material having constant thickness and variable controlled weight due to tapered width from the root to tip of the wind blade.
79 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A wind blade spar cap for strengthening a wind blade comprising:
an integral, unitary three-dimensional woven material having a first end and a second end, corresponding to a root end of the blade and a tip end of the blade, wherein the material tapers in width from the first to the second end while maintaining a constant thickness and decreasing weight therebetween, the cap being capable of being affixed to the blade for providing increased strength with controlled variation in weight from the root end to the tip end based upon the tapered width of the material thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of making a wind blade spar cap comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of yarn systems for supplying input to a weaving machine;
introducing the yarn to the machine for manipulation in each of x-, y-, and z-directions, where the directions produce intersecting points;
forming an integral, unitary three-dimensional woven material having a predetermined, controlled thickness from the yarn where the x- and y-direction yarns are disposed to each other without interlacing, and where the z-direction yarns are manipulated to secure the x- and y-direction yarns in respective planes;
cutting the material to form a tapered spar cap section;
applying the tapered section to a wind blade such that the taper direction of the section decreases from a root end of the blade to a tip end of the blade. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A wind blade comprising:
a spar cap further comprising an integral, unitary three-dimensional woven material having a first end and a second end, corresponding to a root end of the blade and a tip end of the blade, wherein the material tapers in width from the first to the second end while maintaining a constant thickness and decreasing weight therebetween, the cap being capable of being affixed to the blade for providing increased strength with controlled variation in weight from the root end to the tip end based upon the tapered width of the material thereof.
Specification