LIGHTWEIGHT COMPOSITE TRUSS WIND TURBINE BLADE
A lightweight wind turbine blade formed with a truss support structure assembly of composite truss joints including composite spar and cross members attached to and supporting in spaced relation a spine of lightweight rib panels. The rib panels are oriented in parallel spaced relation from one another and individually molded with perimeters defining individual areas of curvature for the finished blade assembly. The truss support structure is covered with a lightweight fiberglass or hardened fabric skin attached to and fitted on respective rib panel edges forming an airfoil structure.
1 .- 20 . (canceled)
21 . A wind turbine blade, comprising:
a plurality of spaced-apart ribs, with individual ribs having a shape corresponding generally to a cross-section of an airfoil;
a spine connected to the spaced-apart ribs, the spine extending in a longitudinal direction, with the ribs being positioned generally perpendicular to the spine; and
a skin carried by and enclosing the spine and the ribs, the skin being tensioned around the ribs.
22 . The wind turbine blade of claim 21 wherein the spine includes at least one longitudinally-extending spar.
23 . The wind turbine blade of claim 21 wherein the spine includes a plurality of longitudinally-extending spars, and wherein individual spars extend proximate to peripheral edges of individual spaced-apart ribs.
24 . The wind turbine blade of claim 21 wherein the skin includes a fabric fitted over a varying curvature profile presented by the spaced-apart ribs.
25 . The wind turbine blade of claim 21 wherein the skin is heat-shrunk around the ribs.
26 . The wind turbine blade of claim 21 , further comprising truss-members extending diagonally between neighboring ribs.
27 . The wind turbine blade of claim 21 wherein the skin includes multiple skin panels joined to form a generally continuous skin structure.
28 . The wind turbine blade of claim 21 wherein the skin supports structures positioned within it.
29 . The wind turbine blade of claim 28 wherein structures include at least one of the ribs.
30 . The wind turbine blade of claim 28 wherein structures include the spine.