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A horizontal axis wind-turbine includes a stationary support structure, a two-bladed rotor supported by the stationary support structure, and a hollow shaft rotationally attached to the stationary support structure through a bearing. Teeter hinges are spaced apart from each other and connect the hol

A horizontal axis wind-turbine includes a stationary support structure, a two-bladed rotor supported by the stationary support structure, and a hollow shaft rotationally attached to the stationary support structure through a bearing. Teeter hinges are spaced apart from each other and connect the hollow shaft to a rotor-hub to allow a teetering action of the rotor-hub with respect to the hollow shaft. The hollow shaft structurally supports the two-bladed rotor with respect to the stationary support structure, with a maximum outer diameter of the hollow shaft being greater than an outer diameter of the bearing.

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What is claimed is: 1. A wind-turbine comprising: a tower; an aft nacelle structure mounted on the tower; a hollow shaft rotationally attached to the aft nacelle structure through at least one bearing, the hollow shaft having a maximum inner diameter; a rotor including a rotor-hub supported by the

What is claimed is: 1. A wind-turbine comprising: a tower; an aft nacelle structure mounted on the tower; a hollow shaft rotationally attached to the aft nacelle structure through at least one bearing, the hollow shaft having a maximum inner diameter; a rotor including a rotor-hub supported by the hollow shaft and having a rotor-hub maximum dimension, the rotor-hub receiving at least two blades with each blade having a blade-root maximum dimension; and teeter hinges spaced apart from each other by a distance and connected to the rotor-hub to allow a teetering action of the rotor-hub with respect to the hollow shaft, the hollow shaft structurally supporting the rotor with respect to the aft nacelle structure, and wherein the rotor-hub has a first portion and a second portion, with one blade being fixed to the first portion and the teeter hinges connecting the second portion to the hollow shaft such that the second portion is at least partially received within an interior of the hollow shaft. 2. The wind-turbine according to claim 1 further comprising a direct drive generator driven by the hollow shaft. 3. The wind-turbine according to claim 2 wherein the hollow shaft is made of a magnetizable metal, and the hollow shaft serves as a back-iron for a portion of the direct drive generator. 4. The wind-turbine according to claim 2 wherein at least part of the direct drive generator is located within the hollow shaft. 5. The wind-turbine according to claim 2 wherein the direct drive generator has at least one outer generator surface forming part of an exterior surface of the wind turbine, and wherein the hollow shaft provides at least part of the at least one outer generator surface. 6. The wind-turbine of according to claim 2 wherein the direct drive generator has a radial-flux topology. 7. The wind-turbine according to claim 2 wherein the direct drive generator has an axial-flux topology. 8. The wind-turbine according to claim 2 wherein the direct drive generator comprises a plurality of magnets and a plurality of coils that face the plurality of magnets, and wherein the magnets are mounted to one of the hollow shaft or a support structure fixed to the aft nacelle structure, and with the coils are mounted to the other of the hollow shaft and the support structure, and wherein the at least one bearing is supported directly between the hollow shaft and the support structure such that the support structure is orientated in an overlapping relationship with the hollow shaft. 9. The wind-turbine according to claim 8 wherein the at least one bearing comprises a single spinner bearing and wherein the hollow shaft comprises an innermost shaft that is directly coupled to the rotor-hub. 10. The wind-turbine according to claim 1 wherein the hollow shaft defines a generally horizontal axis about which the at least two blades rotate. 11. The wind turbine according to claim 1 wherein the at least two blades comprises only two blades. 12. The wind turbine according to claim 1 wherein the maximum inner diameter of the hollow shaft, the blade-root maximum dimension, and the distance between the teeter hinges approximates the rotor-hub maximum dimension. 13. The wind turbine according to claim 1 wherein the maximum inner diameter of the hollow shaft approximates the rotor-hub maximum dimension to provide only a small clearance between an inner surface of the hollow shaft and an outer surface of the rotor-hub. 14. The wind turbine according to claim 1 wherein the at least one bearing is supported on a hollow shaft flange, the hollow shaft flange having a maximum outer dimension that is less than a maximum outer dimension of the hollow shaft. 15. The wind-turbine according to claim 1 wherein the teeter hinges directly couple the rotor-hub to the hollow shaft. 16. A horizontal axis wind-turbine comprising: a stationary support structure; a two-bladed rotor supported by the stationary support structure; a hollow shaft with a maximum outer diameter, the hollow shaft rotationally attached to the stationary support structure through at least one bearing; and teeter hinges spaced apart from each other and connecting the hollow shaft to a rotor-hub to allow a teetering action of the rotor-hub with respect to the hollow shaft, wherein the hollow shaft structurally supports the two-bladed rotor with respect to the stationary support structure, and wherein the maximum outer diameter of the hollow shaft is greater than an outer diameter of the at least one bearing. 17. The horizontal axis wind-turbine according to claim 16 wherein the stationary support structure comprises a tower extending in a vertical direction and an aft nacelle structure rotatably mounted to the tower with a yaw bearing and extending in a horizontal direction, and wherein the hollow shaft rotates about a horizontal axis relative to the aft, nacelle structure. 18. The horizontal axis wind-turbine according to claim 17 including at least one direct drive generator supported by the hollow shaft. 19. The horizontal axis wind-turbine according to claim 18 wherein the at least one direct drive generator includes permanent magnets and coils with the permanent magnets being mounted to the hollow shaft and the coils being mounted to a coil support structure fixed to the aft nacelle structure. 20. The horizontal axis wind-turbine according to claim 18 wherein the rotor-hub has a rotor-hub maximum dimension, the hollow shaft has a maximum inner diameter, each blade of the two-bladed rotor has a blade-root maximum dimension, and wherein the maximum inner diameter of the hollow shaft, the blade-root maximum dimension, and a distance between the teeter hinges approximate the rotor-hub maximum dimension. 21. The horizontal axis wind-turbine according to claim 18 wherein the at least one direct drive generator includes permanent magnets and coils with the permanent magnets being mounted to one of the hollow shaft and a support structure fixed to the aft nacelle structure, and with the coils being mounted to the other of the hollow shaft and support structure, and wherein the at least one bearing is supported directly between the hollow shaft and the support structure such that the support structure is positioned in an overlapping relationship with the hollow shaft. 22. The horizontal axis wind-turbine according to claim 17 wherein blade forces are transmitted to ground through a force path, and wherein the force path is defined by a blade-root section, the rotor-hub, the teeter hinges, the hollow shaft, the at least one bearing, and the aft nacelle structure, the yaw bearing, and the tower. 23. The horizontal axis wind-turbine according to claim 16 wherein the hollow shaft defines an interior cavity, and wherein the teeter hinges directly couple the rotor-hub to the hollow shaft such that portions of the hollow shaft and the rotor-hub are arranged in an overlapping relationship. 24. The horizontal axis wind-turbine according to claim 23 wherein the teeter hinges directly couple the rotor-hub to the hollow shaft such that a portion of the rotor-hub is received within the interior cavity of the hollow shaft. 25. A wind-turbine comprising: a tower; an aft nacelle structure mounted on the tower; a hollow shaft rotationally attached to the aft nacelle structure through at least one bearing, the hollow shaft having a maximum shaft diameter and the at least one bearing defined by a bearing diameter that is less than the maximum shaft diameter; a rotor including a rotor-hub supported by the hollow shaft, the rotor-hub receiving at least two blades; and teeter hinges spaced apart from each other by a distance and connected to the rotor-hub to allow a teetering action of the rotor-hub with respect to the hollow shaft, wherein the hollow shaft structurally supports the rotor with respect to the aft nacelle structure. 26. The wind-turbine according to claim 25 wherein the rotor-hub has a rotor-hub maximum dimension, each blade has a blade-root maximum dimension, and the hollow shaft has a maximum inner diameter, with the maximum inner diameter of the hollow shaft, the blade-root maximum dimension, and the distance between the teeter hinges approximating the rotor-hub maximum dimension. 27. The wind-turbine according to claim 25 wherein the teeter hinges directly couple the rotor-hub to the hollow shaft such that the rotor hub is positioned in an overlapping relationship with the hollow shaft, and including a direct drive generator that is at least partially received within an interior cavity of the hollow shaft.