# US 11,306,696 B2 · Wind turbine blade > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,306,696 B2 - Document ID: US11306696B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/465,638 - Filed: 2017-12-04 - Published: 2019-11-07 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-02 - Assignees: Act Blade Limited - Applicants: Act Blade Limited - Inventors: Sabrina Maria Malpede; Donald William Macvicar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11306696B2 ## CPC - F03D 1/0675: {of the blades} - F03D 1/0633: {of the blades} - F03D 7/022: {Adjusting aerodynamic properties of the blades} - F03D 7/0236: {by changing the active surface of the wind engaging parts, e.g. reefing or furling} - F05B 2240/2211: of the multibladed, low speed, e.g. "American farm" type - F05B 2240/301: Cross-section characteristics - F05B 2240/311: flexible or elastic - Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction - F03D: WIND MOTORS - F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A wind turbine blade comprises a flexible external skin and an internal support structure, together defining an aerodynamic profile of the wind turbine blade. At least a portion of the internal support structure is adjustable to thereby vary the aerodynamic profile. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wind turbine blade, comprising: a flexible external skin and an internal support structure, together defining an aerodynamic profile of the wind turbine blade, wherein at least a portion of the internal support structure is adjustable to thereby vary said aerodynamic profile, wherein the internal support structure comprises a longitudinal structural support member and a plurality of transverse structural support members arranged along the length of the longitudinal structural support member, and wherein one or more of the transverse structural support members is formed of a first portion which is fixed and a second portion which is rotatably or hingedly mounted on the first portion, thereby providing the adjustability of the internal support structure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein said at least a portion of the internal support structure is adjustable to thereby vary the aerodynamic profile of the wind turbine blade in cross-section through the wind turbine blade perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the wind turbine blade. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the internal support structure is adjustable to vary the aerodynamic profile of the wind turbine blade along at least 10% of the length of the wind turbine blade. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein the flexible external skin comprises a suction surface and a pressure surface both extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the wind turbine blade, the suction surface and the pressure surface each forming part of the aerodynamic profile of the wind turbine blade. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The wind turbine blade according to claim 4, wherein the at least a portion of the internal support structure is adjustable to vary an angle between a tangent to the suction surface and a tangent to the pressure surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The wind turbine blade according to claim 4, wherein the at least a portion of the internal support structure is adjustable to vary an orientation of the trailing edge with respect to the leading edge. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein the internal support structure comprises a plurality of transverse structural support members, each extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the longitudinal structural support member, the plurality of transverse structural support members including said at least one articulated transverse structural support member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein the internal support structure comprises a plurality of articulated transverse structural support members, at least a portion of each said articulated transverse structural support member being movable to thereby vary the aerodynamic profile of the wind turbine blade. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein the or each articulated transverse structural support member comprises a fixed portion and a movable portion, the fixed portion being fixedly attached to or integral with the longitudinal structural support member, and the movable portion being coupled to the fixed portion such that the movable portion is movable relative to the fixed portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The wind turbine blade according to claim 9, wherein the movable portion is rotatably coupled to the fixed portion such that the movable portion is rotatable relative to the fixed portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The wind turbine blade according to claim 10, wherein the movable portion is rotatable through a total angular range of at least 5°. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade according to claim 1 comprising a distal region which is adjustable to vary the aerodynamic profile of the wind turbine blade and a proximal region which is not adjustable, each of the distal and proximal regions extending along at least 10% of the length of the wind turbine blade. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade according to claim 1 further comprising a controller operable to control adjustment of the at least a portion of the internal support structure which is adjustable to vary the aerodynamic profile of the wind turbine blade. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The wind turbine blade according to claim 13, wherein the controller is coupled to one or more individually controllable articulated transverse structural support members. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The wind turbine blade according to claim 13 further comprising one or more sensors, wherein the controller is operable to determine one or more adjustments of the internal support structure taking into account one or more sensor outputs from the one or more sensors. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein the flexible external skin comprises tensioned fabric. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The wind turbine blade according to claim 16, wherein the tensioned fabric is supported along a majority of the length of the wind turbine blade by two or more elongate fabric supporting members. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The wind turbine blade according to claim 17, wherein at least one of the two or more elongate fabric supporting members is slidably attached to the internal support structure such that said at least one of the two or more elongate fabric supporting members is slidable along at least a portion of the length of the wind turbine blade. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A wind turbine comprising at least one wind turbine blade according to claim 1. ### Claim 20 A wind turbine blade, comprising: a flexible external skin and an internal support structure, together defining an aerodynamic profile of the wind turbine blade, wherein at least a portion of the internal support structure is adjustable to thereby vary said aerodynamic profile, wherein the internal support structure comprises a longitudinal structural support member and a plurality of transverse structural support members arranged along the length of the longitudinal structural support member, and wherein one or more of the transverse structural support members is formed of a first portion which is fixed and a single second portion which is rotatably or hingedly mounted on the first portion, thereby providing the adjustability of the internal support structure.