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US 10,017,247 B1Granted
Rotor mast assembly
AssigneeBell Helicopter Textron Inc.
InventorsDavid Elliott, Frank Bradley Stamps
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aircraft rotor mast assembly that includes a composite rotor mast and a rotor housing surrounding the rotor mast. The rotor mast includes a first end, a second end, and a length therebetween. The rotor mast includes a plurality of circular openings proximate the first end to accommodate bolts for the fixation of a rotor hub to the rotor mast. The second end of the rotor mast includes a flange, wherein the flange defines a plurality of openings therethrough to accommodate the attachment of the rotor mast to a transmission.
Claims18
A rotor mast assembly, comprising:
- a rotor mast having a first end, a second end, a length extending therebetween, and a midpoint of the length, the rotor mast defining a plurality of circular openings located closer to the first end than the midpoint of the length, the plurality of circular openings extending from an inner surface to an outer surface and having axes that are perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the rotor mast, the rotor mast further including a flange located closer to the second end of the rotor mast than the midpoint thereof, the flange defining a plurality of circular apertures extending from a top surface of the flange to a bottom surface of the flange, the rotor mast having a constant outer diameter along the length thereof from the first end to at least the midpoint of the length, the rotor mast being made of a composite material;
- and
- a mast housing having a first end, a second end, a length extending therebetween, and a midpoint of the length, the mast housing defining a hollow interior space extending from the first end to the second end of the mast housing, the hollow interior space being configured to receive at least a portion of the rotor mast therein, the first end of the mast housing being longitudinally positioned between the midpoint of the rotor mast and the first end of the rotor mast;
- wherein the flange is configured to receive torque from a transmission to cause rotation of the rotor mast.
1 more element
A rotor mast assembly, comprising:
- a rotor mast having a first end, a second end, a length extending therebetween, and a midpoint of the length, the rotor mast defining a plurality of circular openings located closer to the first end than the midpoint of the length, the plurality of circular openings having axes that are perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the rotor mast, the rotor mast being hollow along the majority of the length thereof, the rotor mast further including a second end flange located closer to the second end of the rotor mast than the midpoint thereof, the second end flange defining a plurality of circular apertures extending from a top surface of the second end flange to a bottom surface of the second end flange, the rotor mast having a varying outer diameter along the length thereof, the rotor mast being made of a composite material;
- and
- a mast housing having a first end, a second end, a length extending therebetween, and a midpoint of the length, the mast housing defining a hollow interior space extending from the first end to the second end of the mast housing, the hollow interior space being configured to receive at least a portion of the rotor mast therein, the first end of the mast housing being longitudinally positioned between the midpoint of the rotor mast and the first end of the rotor mast;
- wherein the second end flange is configured to receive torque from a transmission to cause rotation of the rotor mast.
1 more element
A rotorcraft, comprising:
- a fuselage;
- a powerplant;
- a transmission connected to the powerplant;
- a rotor mast connected to the transmission, the rotor mast having a first end, a second end, a length extending therebetween, and a midpoint of the length, the rotor mast defining a plurality of circular openings located closer to the first end than the midpoint of the length, the plurality of circular openings extending from an inner surface to an outer surface and having axes that are perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the rotor mast, the rotor mast further including a flange located closer to the second end of the rotor mast than the midpoint thereof, the flange defining a plurality of circular apertures extending from a top surface of the flange to a bottom surface of the flange, the rotor mast being made of a composite material;
- and
- a mast housing having a first end, a second end, a length extending therebetween, and a midpoint of the length, the mast housing defining a hollow interior space extending from the first end to the second end of the mast housing, the hollow interior space being configured to receive at least a portion of the rotor mast therein, the first end of the mast housing being longitudinally positioned between the midpoint of the rotor mast and the first end of the rotor mast;
- wherein the rotorcraft is configured to drive the rotor mast in rotation using torque generated by the powerplant and transferred through the transmission.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.