Patent ID: 7735290

Claim:
A tower for a wind turbine assembly, said tower comprising: a longitudinal axis defined along a length of said tower; a first tower section comprising three first legs, each first tower section first leg diverging from said longitudinal axis along a length of said first tower section first leg, and at least one support member coupling adjacent first tower section first legs; a second tower section coupled to said first tower section, said second tower section comprising three second legs, each second tower section second leg extending substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis, said second tower section further comprising a second tower first subsection and a second tower second subsection, a top portion of said second tower first subsection coupled to a bottom portion of said second tower second subsection, said second tower first subsection and said second tower second subsection each comprising three second legs, each second leg of said second tower second subsection linearly aligned with and coupled to a corresponding said second leg of said second tower first subsection to form each second tower section second leg; a plurality of shear panels, each shear panel of said plurality of shear panels connected between adjacent second tower section second legs and extending along said longitudinal axis to increase a torsion stiffness of said second tower section, said plurality of shear panels and said second tower section second legs at least partially defining and substantially enclosing a passage that extends through said second tower section to a top portion of said tower; and an access chamber extending along said longitudinal axis within said first tower section, said access chamber coupled to said plurality of shear panels and cooperating with said passage to facilitate access between said first tower section and said second tower section.