Compact folding yoke with flexible yoke arms in a folding rotor blade assembly
AssigneeBell Helicopter Textron Inc.
InventorsJared Mark Paulson, Tyler Wayne Baldwin, Kyle Thomas Cravener
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A folding yoke comprising a center yoke pivotally connected to separate foldable flexible yoke arms permits rotor blade fold about a single through bolt connection inboard of a set of bearings. In use, the compact folded arrangement of the rotor blades reduces folded aircraft dimensions in response to ever increasing restricted storage space parameters.
Claims20
A rotor blade assembly, comprising:
- a hub spring operatively connected to a central mast;
- a center yoke connected to the hub spring;
- a flexible yoke arm pivotally connected to the center yoke at a pivot point providing a first pivot axis;
- a bearing connecting the flexible yoke arm to a rotor blade, the bearing positioned on the flexible yoke arm outboard of the pivot point;
- and
- a pitch horn connected to the rotor blade with a releasable pin and with a pivot pin providing a second pivot axis.
A method for folding a rotor blade assembly comprising a flexible yoke arm connected to a rotor blade in a first attachment plane and pivotally connected to a center yoke including a first pivot axis in a second attachment plane, a pitch horn connected to the rotor blade at a releasable connection and at a pivotable connection including a second pivot axis, and a bearing connected to the flexible yoke arm outboard of the first pivot axis, the method comprising:
- pitching the rotor blade such that an angle between the first attachment plane and the second attachment plane is altered;
- releasing the releasable connection;
- and
- rotating the flexible yoke arm about the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.