We Claim:

1. An apparatus (1 - 4) for producing a rotor blade spar cap (6) for a rotor blade of a wind
turbine, comprising a mold (11 - 14), which has a depression (16 -19) like a cavity in cross
section, in which material (7, 8) for a rotor blade spar cap (6) can be placed or has been
placed, and also a sheet-like mold covering (21) sealing off the depression (16 - 19), wherein
the depression (16 - 19) has side walls (23), an opening bounded by the side walls (23) and a
base area (22) between the side walls (23), characterized in that a height of the side walls
(23) corresponds to a height of the sides of the rotor blade spar cap (6), wherein at least one
removable guide body (24) is included for at least one border of the depression (16 - 19).

2. The apparatus (1 - 4) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the depressed base area (22) has a
further-depressed feed channel (30), which is covered in particular by a sheet-like channel
covering (31) permeable to feed material, wherein a suction means (32, 32’), in particular a
suction pipe (32) or a suction channel (32’), is arranged or can be arranged between the
material (7, 8) for the rotor blade spar cap (6) and the mold covering (21).

3. The apparatus (1 - 4) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the feed channel (30) in the base area
(22) is arranged on one side of the depression (16 - 19) and the suction means (32, 32’) is
arranged or can be arranged on a side of the depression (16 - 19) that lies diagonally opposite
the feed channel (30) in the cross section of the depression (16 - 19).

4. The apparatus (1 - 4) as claimed in one of claims 1 , wherein included is a flow promoter

(34), which is arranged on the base area (22) of the depression (16 - 19), on the sheet-like
channel covering (31) in the direction of the opposite side wall (23), wherein further material
layers, in particular peel plies, perforated films (40) and/or absorbent nonwovens (42), are
arranged or can be arranged under and/or over the material (7, 8) of the rotor blade spar cap
(6).

5. The apparatus (1 - 4) as claimed in one of claims 1 , wherein included is a semipermeable

membrane (33), which is arranged under the mold covering (21), wherein the membrane (33)
is sealed off with respect to the mold covering (21) and the membrane (33) and the mold
covering (21) enclose the suction means (32, 32’) between them.

6. A method for producing a rotor blade spar cap (6) for a rotor blade of a wind turbine,

16
characterized in that fiber material (7) and/or fiber-reinforced material for a rotor blade spar
cap is placed in a cavity-like depression (16 - 19) of a mold (11 - 14) of an apparatus (1 - 4)
as claimed in one of claims 1 , such that the material (7, 8) finishes flush with side walls (23)
of the depression (16 - 19) with respect to its height, the depression (16 - 19) is sealed off by
the sheet-like mold covering (21), the material (7, 8) is fused together to form the rotor blade
spar cap (6) and then the rotor blade spar cap (6) is removed from the mold (11 - 14).

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the fiber material (7) and/or fiber-reinforced
material comprises dry fiber fabrics, prepreg fiber materials and/or pultruded rods of fiber-
reinforced material.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein, at the leading edge and/or the trailing edge
of the rotor blade spar cap, bodies of a core material (8), in particular of balsa or foam, are
first inserted into the depression (16 - 19), and then the fiber material (7) and/or the fiber-
reinforced material is placed between said bodies.

9. The method as claimed in one of claims 6 , wherein the fusing together of the fiber
material (7) or of the fiber-reinforced material in the depression (16 - 19) takes place by
means of resin infusion, which flows in through a feed channel (30) in the base area (22) of
the depression (16 - 19), in particular on one side of the base area (22).

10. The method as claimed in one of claims 6 , wherein material layers that remain as an
outer layer of the rotor blade spar cap (6) after demolding of the rotor blade spar cap (6)
following its production are finally placed in the depression (16 - 19), flush with the side
walls (23).

Dated this 08th day of May, 2015

Nalanda Singh
Agent for the Applicant [IN/PA-1316]

17
 FORM 1
THE PATENTS ACT 1970 (FOR OFFICE USE ONLY)
(39 of 1970)
& Application No.
THE PATENTS (AMENDMENT) RULES, 2006 Filing Date:
APPLICATION FOR GRANT OF PATENT Amount of Fee Paid:
(See section 7, 54 & 135 and rule 20 (1) CBR No:
Signature:

1. APPLICANT

Name Nationality Address

Senvion SE DE Überseering 10, 22297 Hamburg (DE)

2. INVENTORS

Name Nationality Address

Groensfurther Weg 10, Fockbek 24787

BENDEL, Urs DE
(DE)

ZELLER, Lenz, Simon DE Dorfstr. 39c, 24242 Felde (DE)

EYB, Enno DE Kantstr.80, Kiel 24116 (DE)

Uhlandstr. 48, Frankfurt am Main 60314

RICHERS, Tilman DE
(DE)

Hinnebecker Furth 35a, Schwanewede

WITTHUS, Jan-Peter DE
28790 (DE)

3. TITLE OF THE INVENTION:

Device And Method For Producing A Rotor Blade Belt

4. ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE OF AUTHORIZED

PATENT AGENT IN INDIA
Telephone No. 91 11 2371 6565
LEXORBIS Fax: 91 11 2371 6556
709/710, Tolstoy House Mobile No.:
15 – 17, Tolstoy Marg Email: [email protected]
New Delhi -110 001
5. PRIORITY PARTICULARS OF THE APPLICATION (S) FILED IN CONVENTION COUNTRY

Country Application Application Filing Name of the Title of the Invention

Number Date Applicant
10 2012 219
DE October 22, 2012 - -
226.3

6. PARTICULARS FOR FILING PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) NATIONAL PHASE

APPLICATION

International filing date as allotted by the

International application number
receiving office

PCT/EP2013/003058 October 11, 2013

7. PARTICULARS FOR FILING DIVISIONAL APPLICATION

Original (first) application number Date of filing of Original (first) application

Not Applicable Not Applicable

8. PARTICULARS FOR FILING PATENT OF ADDITION

Main application/Patent Number. Date of filing of main application

Not Applicable Not Applicable

9. DECLARATIONS:

(i) Declaration by the Inventors

We, the above named inventors are the true & first inventors for this invention and declare that the
applicant herein is our assignee.

Date: ________________________

________________________
BENDEL, Urs

Date: ________________________

________________________
ZELLER, Lenz, Simon
Date: ________________________

________________________
EYB, Enno

Date: ________________________

________________________
RICHERS, Tilman

Date: ________________________

________________________
WITTHUS, Jan-Peter

(ii) DECLARATION BY THE APPLICANT IN THE CONVENTION COUNTRY

Not Applicable

(iii) DECLARATION BY THE APPLICANT:

We, the applicant hereby declare that:

(√) We are in possession of the above- mentioned invention.

(√) The complete specification relating to the invention is filed with this application.
(X) The invention as disclosed in the specification uses the biological material from India and the
necessary permission from the competent authority shall be submitted by us before the grant of
patent to us.
(√) There is no lawful ground of objection to the grant of the patent to us.
(√) We are the assignee of true & first inventors.
(√) The application or each of the applications, particulars of which are given in Para- 5 was the first
application in convention country/countries in respect of our invention.
(√) We claim the priority from the above-mentioned application filed in convention
country/countries and state that no application for protection in respect of the invention
had been made in a convention country before that date by us or by any person from which
we derive the title.
(√) Our application in India is based on international application under Patent Cooperation
Treaty (PCT) as mentioned in Para-6.
(X)The application is divided out of our application particulars of which are given in para-7 and
pray that this application may be treated as deemed to have been filed on __________ under
Sec. 16 of the Act.
(X) The said invention is an improvement in or modification of the invention particulars of
________________, which are given in para-8.

10. FOLLOWING ARE THE ATTACHMENTS WITH THE APPLICATION:

a) Form 2 - Complete specification in conformation with the International application, No. of

pages 19; No. Of claims 12;
b) Drawings in conformation with the international application, No. of pages 02;
c) Statement and Undertaking under Section 8 on Form - 3;
d) Declaration as to inventorship on Form - 5; and
e) A copy of International Application published with the International Search Report under the
PCT vide Publication No. WO 2014/063790 A1 dated May 1, 2014;
f) Verified English Translation of International PCT Application No. PCT/EP2013/003058;
g) Official Fee of Rs. 11,200/- via wire transfer dated May 8, 2015.

We hereby declare that to the best of our knowledge, information and belief the fact and matters stated
herein are correct and we request that a patent may be granted to us for the said invention.

Dated this the 8th day of May, 2015

Manisha Singh
Agent for the Applicant [IN/PA –740]
LEXORBIS
To,
The Controller of Patents,
The Patent Office
At New Delhi
 FORM 5
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 OF 1970)
&
THE PATENTS AMENDMENT RULES, 2006
DECLARATION AS TO INVENTORSHIP
[See section 10(6) and rule 13(6)]

1. NAME OF APPLICANT Senvion SE

Hereby declare that the true and first inventor of the invention disclosed in the complete
specification filed in pursuance of our application numbered 3965/DELNP/2015 dated May 8,
2015 are:
2. INVENTORS

(a) Name : BENDEL, Urs

(b) Nationality : DE
(c) Address : Groensfurther Weg 10, Fockbek 24787 (DE)

(a) Name : ZELLER, Lenz, Simon

(b) Nationality : DE
(c) Address : Dorfstr. 39c, 24242 Felde (DE)

(a) Name : EYB, Enno

(b) Nationality : DE
(c) Address : Kantstr.80, Kiel 24116 (DE)

(a) Name : RICHERS, Tilman

(b) Nationality : DE
(c) Address : Uhlandstr. 48, Frankfurt am Main 60314 (DE)

(a) Name : WITTHUS, Jan-Peter

(b) Nationality : DE
(c) Address : Hinnebecker Furth 35a, Schwanewede 28790 (DE)

Dated this the 8th day of May, 2015

Manisha Singh
Agent for the Applicant [IN/PA -740]
LEXORBIS

To,
The Controller of Patents
The Patent Office,
At New Delhi
 FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS (AMENDMENT) RULES, 2006
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)

1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A ROTOR BLADE BELT

2. APPLICANT:

a) Name : Senvion SE
b) Nationality : DE
c) Address : Überseering 10, 22297 Hamburg (DE)

3. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION

COMPLETE

The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to
be performed.
 Apparatus and method for producing a rotor blade spar
cap

Description
5 )LHOGRI,QYHQWLRQ
The invention relates to an apparatus for producing a
rotor blade spar cap for a rotor blade of a wind
turbine, comprising a mold, which has a depression like
a cavity in cross section, in which material for a
10 rotor blade spar cap can be placed or has been placed,
and also a sheet-like mold covering sealing off the
depression, wherein the depression has side walls, an
opening bounded by the side walls and a base area
between the side walls. The invention also relates to a
15 method for producing a rotor blade spar cap for a rotor
blade of a wind turbine and also to a rotor blade spar
cap that is produced or can be produced by the method.
%ULHI'HVFULSWLRQRI5HODWHG$UW
Rotor blade spar caps have so far usually been produced
20 on molds which either are flat, and thus substantially
form the base for the spar cap material, or have a
depression that is much deeper than the thickness of
the rotor blade spar cap to be produced.

25 In the case of a planar area without borders, sandwich

cores are used for stabilization at the leading edge
and the trailing edge of the spar cap and remain in the
rotor blade spar cap after demolding.

30 In the case of a cavity-like mold, that is to say a

mold with a depression, the borders are higher than the
spar cap material. Sandwich cores are not provided,
just unidirectional glass fibers or other fibers. In
this case, a vacuum film is placed on the spar cap
35 material for resin infusions, the film standing up
slightly at the corners or the borders of the side
walls to provide coverage, and so at the corners or
borders there form cross-sectional triangles or
triangular voids, which during the infusion with the


 - 2 –

resin material fill with resin and sometimes even take

in individual fibers.

In both cases, that is to say with the use of planar

5 areas without borders and with the previously customary
cavity-like molds, it is necessary to laboriously trim
the rotor blade spar cap after demolding, since either
the cross-sectionally triangular undesired resin and
fiber projections have to be removed or the outer edges
10 of the sandwich cores, which are likewise encapsulated
irregularly in resin, have to be brought back into the
desired form.
%5,()6800$5<2)7+(,19(17,21
The invention is therefore based on the object of
15 providing an apparatus and a method with which rotor
blade spar caps can be produced efficiently and with a
high degree of reliability in terms of the process and
a high level of producibility, and also to a rotor
blade spar cap that can be produced by the method.
20
This object is achieved by an apparatus for producing a
rotor blade spar cap for a rotor blade of a wind
turbine, comprising a mold, which has a depression like
a cavity in cross section, in which material for a
25 rotor blade spar cap can be placed or has been placed,
and also a sheet-like mold covering sealing off the
depression, wherein the depression has side walls, an
opening bounded by the side walls and a base area
between the side walls, developed in such a way that a
30 height of the side walls corresponds to a height of the
sides of the rotor blade spar cap.

The use according to the invention of a cavity-like

depression in which the side walls are just the same
35 height as the side walls of the spar cap material and
the spar cap assembly makes it possible for the first
time to seal off the depression with the spar cap
material by a sheet-like mold covering, in particular a
vacuum-tight film, so as to achieve a flush and well-


 - 3 –

defined planar mold on which there no longer forms any

cross-sectionally triangular fiber and resin flash, in
particular no such flash that can contain fibers. There
is consequently also no longer the need for laborious
5 trimming. If anything, a few isolated lugs formed by
overflowing resin, very minor because of the mold
according to the invention, still have to be knocked
off, but this does not require anything like the effort
involved in full trimming.
10
Particularly for the case where the fusing together of
the rotor blade spar cap in the mold takes place by
means of a resin infusion process, it is advantageously
provided that the depressed base area has a further-
15 depressed feed channel, which is covered in particular
by a sheet-like channel covering permeable to feed
material, wherein a suction means, in particular a
suction pipe or a suction channel, is arranged or can
be arranged between the material for the rotor blade
20 spar cap and the mold covering. Resin is consequently
introduced over the entire length of the depression in
the feed channel into the base area of the mold. The
suction means arranged under the covering, that is to
say in particular the vacuum-tight film, generates a
25 negative pressure, which sucks the resin material or
feed material introduced through the feed channel
upward, and so the spar cap material is impregnated
with the feed material, that is to say in particular
the resin.
30
It is preferably provided that the feed channel in the
base area is arranged on one side of the depression and
the suction means is arranged or can be arranged on a
side of the depression that lies diagonally opposite
35 the feed channel in the cross section of the
depression. The diagonal arrangement in the cross
section of the depression is particularly advantageous
since the lateral offsetting of the suction means in
relation to the feed channel has the effect that the


 - 4 –

liquid feed material, that is to say in particular the

resin, is also distributed uniformly in the lateral
direction. This is more favorable than when there is a
central arrangement of both the feed channel and the
5 suction means, in which the lateral regions of the spar
cap assembly are impregnated less with resin than the
central region arranged directly between the feed
channel and the suction means.

10 Advantageously included is a flow promoter, which is

arranged on the base area of the depression, on the
sheet-like channel covering in the direction of the
opposite side wall, wherein further material layers, in
particular peel plies, perforated films and/or
15 absorbent nonwovens, are arranged or can be arranged
under and/or over the material of the rotor blade spar
cap. The flow promoter helps here to distribute feed
material uniformly on the underside. Further material
layers provide a uniform distribution both of the feed
20 material and of the applied vacuum and provide that the
resin material is not sucked away by the suction means.
The sheet-like channel covering for the feed channel
preferably consists of a perforated plate or a
perforated film.
25
In an advantageous development, at least one removable
guide body is included for at least one border of the
depression. In this case, the guide body can be removed
after the fusing together of the rotor blade spar cap,
30 thereby facilitating the demolding of the rotor blade
spar cap. Such a guide body may comprise part of a side
wall or an entire side wall.

Preferably included is a semipermeable membrane, which

35 is arranged under the mold covering, wherein the
membrane is sealed off with respect to the mold
covering and the membrane and the mold covering enclose
the suction means between them. Consequently, the
vacuum that is introduced by the suction means can act


 - 5 –

through the semipermeable membrane and suck in resin or

feed material, but the feed material cannot penetrate
through the semipermeable membrane into the suction
means.
5
The object on which the invention is based is also
achieved by a method for producing a rotor blade spar
cap for a rotor blade of a wind turbine that is
distinguished by the fact that fiber material and/or
10 fiber-reinforced material for a rotor blade spar cap is
placed in a cavity-like depression of a mold of a
previously described apparatus according to the
invention such that the material finishes flush with
side walls of the depression with respect to its
15 height, the depression is sealed off by the sheet-like
mold covering, the material is fused together to form
the rotor blade spar cap and then the rotor blade spar
cap is removed from the mold.

20 In the case of this method, the trimming step can be

omitted, since the rotor blade spar cap already has its
final form and there is no flash that could in
particular contain fiber material.

25 The fiber material and/or fiber-reinforced material

preferably comprises dry fiber fabrics, prepreg fiber
materials and/or pultruded rods of fiber-reinforced
material. All of these materials, including the already
preimpregnated prepregs and pultruded rods, can also be
30 fused together by means of resin infusion. Thermal
fusion, in which the resin material of the resin matrix
softens and joins together with the resin material of
the neighboring prepregs or rods, is also possible.
Pultruded rods have the advantage that in them the
35 fibers are already optimally aligned in parallel and
waves cannot form in the spar cap material as a result
of exothermic reactions during the setting of the
resin. However, the method according to the invention
can be carried out with all three types of material


 - 6 –

mentioned in such a way as to achieve the advantages

according to the invention.

It is likewise possible and advantageous within the

5 scope of the method according to the invention that, at
the leading edge and/or the trailing edge of the rotor
blade spar cap, bodies of a core material, in
particular of balsa or foam, are first inserted into
the depression, and then the fiber material and/or the
10 fiber-reinforced material is placed between said
bodies. In this case, a composite rotor blade spar cap,
which likewise no longer has to be trimmed, can be
produced. The bodies of the core material also lie
against the side walls of the depression, and so the
15 form of the rotor blade spar cap is once again
determined by the depression and there is no need for
subsequent trimming. The flush finish with respect to
the height of the side walls and the thickness of the
spar cap material in the region of the side walls of
20 the depression mean that the other problems with
respect to upwardly projecting flash also do not occur.

The fusing together of the fiber material or of the

fiber-reinforced material in the depression preferably
25 takes place by means of resin infusion, which flows in
through a feed channel in the base area of the
depression, in particular on one side of the base area.

Likewise advantageously, material layers that remain as

30 an outer layer of the rotor blade spar cap after
demolding of the rotor blade spar cap following its
production are finally placed in the depression, flush
with the side walls.

35 Finally, the object on which the invention is based is

achieved by a rotor blade spar cap for a rotor blade of
a wind turbine that is produced or can be produced in a
previously described method according to the invention.


 - 7 –

The features, properties and advantages mentioned in

relation to the individual subjects of the invention,
that is to say the apparatus, the method and the rotor
blade spar cap, also apply to the other subjects of the
5 invention respectively, since they relate to one
another.

Further features of the invention are evident from the

description of embodiments according to the invention
10 together with the claims and the accompanying drawings.
Embodiments according to the invention may implement
single features or a combination of a number of
features.
%5,()'(6&5,37,212)7+('5$:,1*6
15 The invention is described below on the basis of
exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings,
without restricting the general concept of the
invention, reference being expressly made to the
drawings with respect to all details according to the
20 invention that are not explained more specifically in
the text. In the drawings:

figure 1 shows a schematic cross-

sectional representation
25 through a first apparatus
according to the invention,

figure 2 shows a schematic cross-

sectional representation of
30 details of a second apparatus
according to the invention,

figure 3 shows details of a third

apparatus according to the
35 invention in schematic cross
section,

figure 4 shows details of a fourth

apparatus according to the


 - 8 –

invention in schematic cross

section,

figures 5a), 5b) and 5c) show schematic cross-sectional

5 representations through
details of apparatuses
according to the invention,
and

10 figure 6 shows a schematic cross-

sectional representation of a
mold according to the
invention.

15 In the drawings, elements and/or parts that are the

same or similar are in each case provided with the same
reference numerals, and so they are not described from
the beginning each time.
'(7$,/(''(6&5,37,212)7+(,19(17,21
20 In Figure 1, a first apparatus 1 according to the
invention is schematically shown in cross section. A
mold 11 has a cross-sectionally rectangular depression
16, in which the fiber material 7 of a rotor blade spar
cap 6 has been placed. The surface of the fiber
25 material 7 finishes flush with side walls 23 of the
depression 16. The base area 22 of the depression has
on one side, which is shown on the left in figure 1, a
feed channel 30, through which feed material, in
particular a resin, can be introduced into the
30 depression 16. The feed channel 30 extends lengthwise
through the depression 16. It is covered likewise over
its full length by a channel covering 31, which may be
a perforated plate or a perforated film. Placed on the
channel covering 31 is a flow promoter 34, which helps
35 to distribute liquid feed material in the direction of
the other side, i.e. the side that lies opposite the
feed channel 30.


 - 9 –

Arranged diagonally opposite on the upper side of the

fiber material 7 of the rotor blade spar cap 6 is a
suction means, to be specific a suction pipe 32, at
which a vacuum is applied. By means of the suction pipe
5 32, in the depression 16 as a whole there is an applied
vacuum, the gradient of which is directed toward the
suction pipe 32. Consequently, the liquid feed material
is sucked from the feed channel 30 to the suction pipe
32. To ensure the negative pressure in the depression
10 16, the latter is covered by a mold covering 21, in
particular a vacuum-tight film. Sealing is laterally
ensured in this case by so-called “tacky tape” 35, a
vacuum-tight adhesive film or adhesive roll.

15 In order to prevent resin or feed material being sucked

into the suction pipe 32 and clogging it, the suction
pipe 32 is protected by a semipermeable membrane 33,
which is permeable to air, but not to the feed
material. This semipermeable membrane 33 is sealed with
20 respect to the mold covering 21, once again by “tacky
tape” 35.

In this way, a pressure gradient that extends through

the width and thickness of the depression 16 is
25 produced when liquid feed material enters through the
feed channel 30 and when a vacuum or negative pressure
is created in the suction pipe 32. Assisted by the flow
promoter 34, feed material is sucked up both against
the underside of the fiber material 7 and through the
30 fiber material 7 itself over the full width, and so the
fiber material 7 is impregnated completely and
uniformly.

In comparison with figure 1, in figure 2 there is shown

35 a second embodiment of an apparatus 2, in which the
depression 17 has side walls 23 that are partly formed
by removable guide bodies 24. Together with the mold
12, these define the depression 17. After producing the
rotor blade spar cap in this mold 12, the guide bodies


 - 10 –

24 can be removed, thereby facilitating the demolding

of the rotor blade spar cap produced.

In figure 3, a further exemplary embodiment is

5 represented. The apparatus 3 has a mold 13 with a
depression 18, the side walls 23 of which are slightly
beveled. Arranged on the left-hand side of the base
area 22 of the depression 18 is a suction channel 30
with a channel covering 31, which is formed as a
10 perforated plate. Placed on the entire base area is a
first fiber layer 36, on which a core material or
sandwich material 8 of balsa wood or a foam has been
placed respectively at the leading and trailing edges
of the spar cap. The outer side walls of said material
15 are flush with the side walls 23 of the depression 18.
The fiber material 7, which may consist of dry fiber
fabrics, prepregs or of pultruded rods with fiber-
reinforced resin material, has been introduced between
the bodies of sandwich materials 8. Applied to the
20 bodies of sandwich material 8 and the body of fiber
material 7 is a final fiber layer 36, which finishes
flush with the side walls 23 of the depression 18. The
other constituent parts of the apparatus 3 are not
shown in figure 3. The ensemble of fiber layers 36,
25 sandwich material 8 and fiber material 7 forms the
rotor blade spar cap 6.

Figure 4 shows in schematic cross section a fourth

exemplary embodiment of an apparatus 4 according to the
30 invention, in which the depression 19 is substantially
similar to the depression 18 from figure 3. The other
elements that are represented in figure 4 also
correspond to those from figure 3. As a difference from
the exemplary embodiment from figure 3, in figure 4
35 there is shown a rotor blade spar cap 6 that is
flattened or tapered toward the borders, that is to say
toward the side walls 23 of the depression 19. The
total thickness of the rotor blade spar cap 6 at its
center is consequently greater than the depth of the


 - 11 –

depression 19. Nevertheless, the upper fiber layer 36

finishes flush with the side walls 23.

In figures 5a) to 5c, three different possible ways of

5 forming side walls 23 are shown. In figure 5a), a lower
part of the side wall 23 is formed by part of the mold
11, on which there has been placed a removable guide
body 24, which continues the side wall 23 up to its
full height. In figure 5b), the mold 11 merely forms
10 the base area 22 and the side wall 23 is completely
formed as a side area of a removable guide body 23. In
figure 5c), the entire side wall 23 is part of the mold
11 and no removable guide body is provided.

15 In figure 6, a more complete representation of the

apparatus 4 according to figure 4 is shown. In this
case, a flow promoter 34 has been laid on the base area
22 of the depression 19, over the entire width, and
then the first or lower fiber layer 36 has been placed
20 on top. The flow promoter 34 provides a uniform
distribution of the liquid feed material from the feed
channel 30 into the depression 19. On the lower fiber
layer 36 there have been laid the two bodies of
sandwich material 8 and also the central body of fiber
25 material 7. This layer is terminated by an upper fiber
layer 36, which finishes flush both with the side of
the bodies of sandwich material 8 and with the side
walls 23 of the depression 19. Further layers of
material, which after the demolding of the rotor blade
30 spar cap 6 do not remain with it, however, have been
placed on the fiber layer 36. These are firstly a
perforated film 40, instead of which a peel ply for
example may also have been arranged. On the side
represented on the right in figure 6 there is shown an
35 absorbent nonwoven 42, which may also contain a
semipermeable membrane and serves for propagating the
vacuum that is introduced into the depression 19
through a suction channel 32’. Forming the termination


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is the sheet-like mold covering 21, which covers the

entire depression 19 and part of the rest of the mold.

The way in which the method according to the invention

5 is carried out can be shown by the example of the
apparatus 4 in figure 6. The spar cap itself consists,
according to choice, of dry fabrics of glass fibers,
carbon fibers, basalt fibers or natural fibers, which
after placing in the mold according to the invention
10 are impregnated with a resin matrix, for example by
vacuum infusion, or of prefabricated, cured elements,
which consist of a glass-, carbon-, basalt- or natural-
fiber-reinforced resin matrix and, after being
deposited in the mold according to the invention, are
15 impregnated with a resin matrix, for example by vacuum
infusion. Such prefabricated, cured elements may be
pultruded rods.

In the case of the variant according to figure 6, a

20 resin matrix is introduced by vacuum infusion. For this
purpose, the apparatus 4 is supplied with feed
material, that is to say in particular resin, through
the resin feed channel 30 under one of the sandwich
portions 8 of the spar cap assembly, which is bounded
25 by a suitable resin-permeable element as a channel
covering 31 in such a way that a flush termination with
the remaining surface of the mold is obtained. A flow
promoter 34, for example a so-called “continuous mat”
or “green mesh” is laid over the feed channel 30 on the
30 surface of the mold, extends in the direction of the
opposite border of the mold and may possibly also reach
right up to it. Once all the materials have been placed
in the mold and on the flow promoter 34, the material
placed in is covered by a vacuum construction, which
35 may consist of a peel ply, a perforated film, an
absorbent medium (for example a nonwoven or a green
mesh) and also a semipermeable membrane and at least
one vacuum film. The suction channel 32’ is placed
between the semipermeable membrane and the at least one


 - 13 –

vacuum film. In this case, the suction channel 32’ is

positioned in the vicinity of the border of the mold
lying opposite the feed channel 30 and the
semipermeable membrane extends from the border of the
5 mold lying close to the vacuum channel 32’
significantly in the direction of the opposite border
of the mold.

All of the features mentioned, including the features

10 that can be taken from the drawings alone and also
individual features that are disclosed in combination
with other features, are regarded as essential to the
invention on their own and in combination. Embodiments
according to the invention may be implemented by single
15 features or a combination of a number of features.


 - 14 –

List of reference numerals

1 – 4 apparatus
6 rotor blade spar cap
7 fiber material
8 sandwich material
11 - 14 mold
16 – 19 depression
21 mold covering
22 base area
23 side wall
24 removable guide body
30 feed channel
31 channel covering
32 suction pipe
32’ suction channel
33 semipermeable membrane
34 flow promoter
35 tacky tape
36 fiber layer
40 perforated film
42 absorbent nonwoven