Folding spindle and bearing assembly in a folding rotor blade assembly
AssigneeBell Helicopter Textron Inc.
InventorsJared Mark Paulson, Tyler Wayne Baldwin, Kyle Thomas Cravener
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A folding rotor blade assembly for a tiltrotor aircraft comprising a rotor blade pivotally connected to a grip with dual concentric blade bolts having a common central axis providing a pivotal axis inboard of an outboard bearing. A folding spindle connects the outboard bearing to an outboard tip of a yoke. The outboard bearing and the spindle fold with the rotor blade relative to the yoke. In use, the compact folded arrangement of the rotor blades reduces folded aircraft dimensions in response to ever increasing restricted storage space parameters.
Claims17
A folding rotor blade assembly for a tiltrotor aircraft, comprising:
- a drive mast connected to a yoke;
- an inboard beam housing an inboard bearing, the inboard bearing connected to the yoke;
- an outboard beam housing an outboard bearing, the outboard bearing connected to the yoke outboard of the inboard bearing;
- a grip connected to the inboard beam;
- a rotor blade connected to the grip at a pivotal connection positioned inboard of the outboard bearing, the rotor blade comprising a first blade tang and a second blade tang connected to the grip at the pivotal connection;
- and
- the outboard beam connected to the rotor blade between the first blade tang and the second blade tang.
A folding rotor blade assembly, comprising:
- a yoke including a yoke arm extending radially from a central aperture;
- a clamp plate connected to the yoke proximate the central aperture;
- an inboard bearing connected to the clamp plate and connected to an inboard beam;
- a grip connected to the inboard beam;
- a folding spindle connected to the yoke arm at a first pivotal connection;
- an outboard bearing connected to the folding spindle and an outboard beam;
- a rotor blade comprising a first blade tang and a second blade tang connected to the grip at a second pivotal connection and the outboard beam connected to the rotor blade between the first blade tang and the second blade tang;
- and
- the first pivotal connection and the second pivotal connection positioned inboard of the outboard bearing.
A method comprising:
- pitching a rotor blade of a rotor blade assembly comprising an inboard bearing connected to a yoke and a grip, an outboard bearing connected to the yoke at a first pivotal connection providing a first pivot axis, and a rotor blade connected to the grip at a second pivotal connection providing a second pivot axis inboard of the outboard bearing, the rotor blade having a first blade tang and a second blade tang connected to the grip at the second pivotal connection and the rotor blade connected to an outboard beam between the first blade tang and the second blade tang;
- and
- rotating the rotor blade together with the outboard bearing around the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.