Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110274548 | Stiff-in-Plane Rotor Configuration - A rotor assembly for a rotary-wing aircraft, the rotor having a central hub assembly with a flexure-type, twist-shank yoke with multiple arms, each arm being adapted for a rotor blade to be mounted thereto. The arms provide for pitch changes of blades attached to the yoke through twisting of portions of the arms about a corresponding pitch axis. An inboard pitch bearing associated with each arm is attached to the hub assembly and allows for rotation of the attached blade about the pitch axis, the inboard pitch bearing also allowing for out-of-plane motion of the arm relative to the hub assembly about a flapping axis. An outboard pitch bearing associated with each arm is attached to the associated arm a selected distance from the inboard pitch bearing and allows for rotation of the attached blade about the pitch axis. | 11-10-2011 |
20110274550 | Yoke and Bearing Fitting Assembly for Rotors - A yoke and bearing fitting assembly for a multi-blade aircraft rotor is disclosed. The assembly has a yoke having arms extending generally radially from a central portion of the yoke, the arms each having opposing surfaces. An aperture is formed in each arm and extends between the surfaces. A bearing fitting has a body configured for insertion into the aperture of the yoke and has two rims protruding from a periphery of the body, the body also having a bearing mount adapted for mounting a pitch change bearing assembly to the yoke. Each rim abuts one of the surfaces of the associated yoke arm when the bearing fitting is installed within the aperture, so as to create clamping forces between the rims and the arm and the arm. The bearing fitting transmits forces from the pitch bearing assembly into the yoke. | 11-10-2011 |
20110280727 | Improved Rotor-Blade Control System and Method - A blade-pitch control system has a swashplate configured for continuous rotation with an associated rotor and mast, and at least one link connects the swashplate to each blade of the rotor. The swashplate provides for collective control of the pitch angle of the blades through selective rotation of the swashplate about a swashplate axis while the swashplate is rotating with the rotor and mast. The system can be configured to provide for cyclic control of the pitch angle of the blades through planar translation of the swashplate or through tilting of the swashplate about axes generally perpendicular to the swashplate axis. | 11-17-2011 |
20130149151 | Multiple-Yoke Main Rotor Assembly - The present application includes a main rotor assembly for an aircraft. The rotor assembly has a main rotor mast configured for rotation about a mast axis and two yokes pivotally connected to the mast for rotation therewith about the mast axis. Each yoke is independently pivotable relative to the mast about at least one flap axis that is generally perpendicular to the mast axis. In at least one embodiment, a torque splitter connects the yokes and allows for limited rotation of the yokes relative to each other about the mast axis. Each yoke is configured for the attachment of rotor blades extending generally radially relative to the mast axis. | 06-13-2013 |
20130287576 | Aircraft Rotor with Discrete Flap Hinge - An aircraft rotor assembly has upper and lower hub plates adapted to be mounted to a central rotor mast for rotation therewith. A plurality of radial arms is connected to at least two flap bearings mounted between the hub plates and forming a discrete flap hinge, each flap hinge defining a flap axis and allowing rotation of the associated arm relative to the hub plates and about the corresponding flap axis. Each of a plurality of blade grips is rotatably connected to one of the arms for rotation about a pitch axis and adapted for mounting of a blade to each blade grip, such that each blade is capable of rotation with the grip about the pitch axis and capable of rotation together with the corresponding arm relative to the hub plates and about the corresponding flap axis. | 10-31-2013 |
20140133980 | Blade-Pitch Control System with Indexing Swashplate - The present application includes a blade-pitch control system with an indexing swashplate. A swashplate assembly has a non-rotating portion and a rotating portion and an indexing portion of the mast. The swashplate assembly is translatably affixed to the indexing portion. A pitch link connects the rotating portion of the swashplate assembly to each blade. Translation of the swashplate assembly along the indexing portion causes a change in pitch of the blades and a corresponding indexing of the rotating portion of the swashplate assembly relative to the mast, the indexing causing a change in an angular orientation of each pitch link, thus providing for selected pitch-flap coupling between flapping motion of the yoke and pitch motion of the blades. | 05-15-2014 |
20140322010 | CONSTANT-VELOCITY JOINT LINK WITH REDUCED AXIAL STIFFNESS - The present application provides a drive link for a constant-velocity joint of an aircraft rotor, the link connecting a drive hub attached to a driveshaft to a rotor yoke. The link comprises a leading bearing connected to the drive hub, a trailing bearing connected to the yoke, a central portion between the bearings, and a tension loop connecting the bearings. The tension loop is formed from a composite material and is formed as a continuous band. The tension loop transfers drive forces from the leading bearing to the trailing bearing for driving the yoke in rotation with the driveshaft. | 10-30-2014 |
20150158583 | STIFF-IN-PLANE ROTOR CONFIGURATION - A rotor assembly for a rotary-wing aircraft, the rotor having a central hub assembly with a flexure-type, twist-shank yoke with multiple arms, each arm being adapted for a rotor blade to be mounted thereto. The arms provide for pitch changes of blades attached to the yoke through twisting of portions of the arms about a corresponding pitch axis. An inboard pitch bearing associated with each arm is attached to the hub assembly and allows for rotation of the attached blade about the pitch axis, the inboard pitch bearing also allowing for out-of-plane motion of the arm relative to the hub assembly about a flapping axis. An outboard pitch bearing associated with each arm is attached to the associated arm a selected distance from the inboard pitch bearing and allows for rotation of the attached blade about the pitch axis. | 06-11-2015 |