发明人：
TOBIN, JAMES, ROBERT | AYYASAMY, BOOBALAN | MCCALIP, ANDREW
技术问题语段：
The patent text describes a problem in the manufacturing process of wind turbine components, specifically the mold used to create the rotor blades. The current process is time-consuming and expensive, and requires new molds when the design of the rotor blades changes. The technical problem addressed by the patent is to create a vacuum forming mold assembly that is more efficient and flexible, allowing for easier modification of the mold design.
权利要求：
WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. A method for creating a vacuum forming mold assembly, the method comprising:
forming a plurality of support plates, each support plate including a surface defining a shape corresponding to a cross-section of at least a portion of the mold cavity; and
removably coupling a mold body to the plurality of support plates to form the mold assembly, the mold body conforming to the shape of the surface of each support plate after being removably coupled to the plurality of support plates such that the mold body defines at least a portion of a mold cavity of the mold assembly, the mold body defining at least one of one or more vacuum manifolds or one or more fluid passages.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
deforming the mold body such that the mold body conforms to the shape of the surface of one or more support plates prior to removably coupling the mold body to the plurality of support plates.
3. The method of claim 1, forming a platform on a top surface of the mold body, the platform being configured to form one or more joint features, connection features, or alignment features.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
positioning one or more base plates of the mold body on the surface of each support plate;
deforming the one or more base plates such that the mold body conforms to the shape of the surface of each support plate;
positioning one or more top plates of the mold body on the one or more base plates; and
deforming the one or more top plates such that the one or more top plates conforms to the shape of the one or more base plates, the one or more top plates defining the mold cavity.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:
forming one or more grooves in a top surface of the mold body, the one or more grooves being in fluid communication with the mold cavity, the groove further
being configured to be fluidly coupled to vacuum source via one or more vacuum ports.
6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:
positioning one or more tubes between one or more of the base plates of the mold body and one or more of the top plates of the mold body, one or more of the tubes defining one or more of the fluid passages.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
forming a plurality of vacuum passages within the mold body, the vacuum passages fluidly coupling the mold cavity and the vacuum manifold.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
positioning a gasket around a perimeter of a top surface of the mold body, the gasket being configured to seal between the mold body and a sheet positioned on the mold body.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
positioning the plurality of support plates such that each support plate is spaced apart from each other support plate along a span-wise direction.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the mold body comprises a plurality of mold body segments, the method further comprising:
removably coupling each of the plurality of mold body segments together.
11. A vacuum forming mold assembly, comprising:
a plurality of support plates, each support plate including a surface defining a shape corresponding to a cross-section of at least a portion of the mold cavity; and a mold body removably coupled to the plurality of support plates, the mold body conforming to the shape of the surface of each support plate after being removably coupled to the plurality of support plates such that the mold body defines at least a portion of a mold cavity of the mold assembly, the mold body defining at least one of one or more vacuum manifolds or one or more fluid passages.
12. The vacuum forming mold assembly of claim 11, wherein the mold body is planar before being removably coupled to the plurality of support plates, the mold body being configured to deform when removably coupled to the plurality of support plates that the mold body conforms to the shape of the surface of each support plate.
13. The vacuum forming mold assembly of claim 11, wherein a platform on a top surface of the mold body, the platform being configured to form one or more joint features, connections features, or alignment features.
14. The vacuum forming mold assembly of claim 11, wherein the mold plate comprises one or more base plates positioned on the surface of each support plate and one or more top plates positioned on the one or more base plates, the one or more base plates conforming to the shape of the shape of each support plate, the one or more top plates conforming to the shape of the one or more base plates, the one or more top plates defining the mold cavity.
15. The vacuum forming mold assembly of claim 14, wherein a top surface of the one or more top plates defines one or more grooves in fluid communication with the mold cavity, the groove further being configured to be fluidly coupled to vacuum source via one or more vacuum ports.
16. The vacuum forming mold assembly of claim 14, wherein the mold body further comprises one or more tubes positioned between the one or more base plates and the one or more top plates, the one or more tubes defining one or more of the one or more fluid passages.
17. The vacuum forming mold assembly of claim 11, wherein the mold body defines a plurality of vacuum passages fluidly coupling the mold cavity and the vacuum manifold.
18. The vacuum forming mold assembly of claim 11, further comprising: a gasket around a perimeter of a top surface of the mold body, the gasket being configured to seal between the mold body and a sheet positioned on the mold body.
19. The vacuum forming mold assembly of claim 11, wherein each support plate is spaced apart from each other support plate along a span-wise direction.
20. The vacuum forming mold assembly of claim 11, wherein the mold body comprises a plurality of mold body segments removably coupled together.