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US 10,875,637 B2Granted
Rotor assembly apparatus
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorDaniel M. Podgurski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Rotor assembly apparatus are disclosed. An example rotor assembly includes a twist actuator to drive a first rotation of a first shaft about a first axis, the twist actuator positioned at a center of rotation of the rotor assembly. A first gear assembly to convert the first rotation into a plurality of second rotations of a plurality of second shafts. Each of the second shafts to provide torque to a respective blade coupled to the rotor assembly.
Claims17
A rotor assembly, comprising:
- a swashplate responsive to at least one of a collective control or a cyclic control;
- a twist actuator to drive a first rotation of a first shaft about a first axis, the twist actuator positioned at a center of rotation of the swashplate;
- and
- a first gear assembly to convert the first rotation into a plurality of second rotations of a plurality of second shafts, each of the second shafts to provide torque to a respective blade coupled to the rotor assembly;
- a plurality of carriers, each carrier coupled to a respective one of the second shafts;
- a first stage planetary gear system disposed in each of the carriers;
- a second stage planetary gear system disposed in each of the carriers;
- and
- an output shaft coupled to each of the second stage planetary gear systems to provide the torque to respective ones of the blades.
6 more elements
A rotor assembly, comprising:
- a twist actuator to drive a first rotation of a first shaft about a first axis, the twist actuator positioned at a center of rotation of the rotor assembly;
- a first gear assembly to convert the first rotation into a plurality of second rotations of a plurality of second shafts, each of the second shafts to provide torque to a respective blade coupled to the rotor assembly;
- a plurality of carriers, each carrier coupled to a respective one of the second shafts
- a first stage planetary gear system disposed in each of the carriers;
- a second stage planetary gear system disposed in each of the carriers;
- an output shaft coupled to each of the second stage planetary gear systems to provide the torque to respective ones of the blades;
- and
- pitch shafts, a sun gear of the first stage planetary gear systems being coupled to respective ones of the pitch shafts.
5 more elements
A rotor assembly, comprising:
- a swashplate responsive to at least one of a collective control or a cyclic control;
- a twist actuator to drive a first rotation of a first shaft about a first axis, the twist actuator positioned at a center of rotation of the swashplate;
- and
- a first gear assembly to convert the first rotation into a plurality of second rotations of a plurality of second shafts, each of the second shafts to provide torque to a respective blade coupled to the rotor assembly;
- a carrier coupled to each one of the second shafts, each one of the second shafts extending through a pitch shaft of a rotor assembly, each one of the second shafts providing a first amount of torque to the carrier;
- a first stage planetary gear system disposed in the carrier, the carrier to drive rotation of the first stage planetary gear system;
- a second stage planetary gear system disposed in the carrier, the first stage planetary gear system to drive rotation of the second stage planetary gear system;
- and
- an output of the second stage planetary gear system to provide a second amount of torque to a blade.
6 more elements
A rotor assembly, comprising:
- a twist actuator to drive a first rotation of a first shaft about a first axis, the twist actuator positioned at a center of rotation of the rotor assembly;
- a first gear assembly to convert the first rotation into a plurality of second rotations of a plurality of second shafts, each of the second shafts to provide torque to a respective blade coupled to the rotor assembly;
- a carrier coupled to each one of the second shafts, each one of the second shafts extending through a pitch shaft of a rotor assembly, each one of the second shafts providing a first amount of torque to the carrier;
- a first stage planetary gear system disposed in the carrier, the carrier to drive rotation of the first stage planetary gear system, the first stage planetary gear system including a first stage sun gear, the first stage sun gear being fixed to the pitch shaft;
- a second stage planetary gear system disposed in the carrier, the first stage planetary gear system to drive rotation of the second stage planetary gear system;
- and
- an output of the second stage planetary gear system to provide a second amount of torque to a blade.
4 more elements
A rotor assembly, comprising:
- a swashplate responsive to at least one of a collective control or a cyclic control;
- a twist actuator to drive a first rotation of a first shaft about a first axis, the twist actuator positioned at a center of rotation of the swashplate;
- and
- a first gear assembly to convert the first rotation into a plurality of second rotations of a plurality of second shafts, each of the second shafts to provide torque to a respective blade coupled to the rotor assembly, wherein the first gear assembly includes a first angled gear concentric with the first shaft and second angled gears, each of the second angled gears to mesh with the first angled gear;
- and
- a second gear assembly to receive one of second torques from one of the second shafts,
- the second gear assembly including:
- a first planetary gear system driven by a respective one of the second shafts;
- and
- a second planetary gear system driven by the first planetary gear system, the second planetary gear system including a sun gear coupled to an output shaft.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.