Patent ID: 8297933

Claim:
A wind turbine blade with a leading edge and a trailing edge, said blade comprising: an upper shell member and a lower shell member, each of said upper shell member and said lower shell member comprising a forward attachment edge, said attachment edges transversely spaced from each other and disposed rearward of said leading edge; a preformed bond cap having opposite legs with rearward edges mounted to said attachment edges of said upper and lower shell members, said bond cap preformed into an aerodynamic parabolic shape and size so as to define said leading edge of said blade and lie essentially flush with said upper and lower shell members; wherein said bond cap defines a primary external bonding bridge between said upper and lower shell members and defines at least a portion of said leading edge of said blade; and wherein said rearward edges of said bond cap are unbonded to said attachment edges, and further comprising a laminate covering over said bond cap that extends over said attachment surfaces and is bonded to said upper and lower shell members.