Hybrid light weight rotorcraft hub trunnions

A method for manufacturing a torque transfer joint trunnion comprising:

• casting, forging and/or machining an integral metal hub spline fitting oriented on a center axis and defining an integral central internally-splined mast or driveshaft coupling opening portion in the integral metal hub spline fitting centered about the center axis;
• laying up a composite material body using a broad goods construction technique, alternatingly orienting fiber plies;
• curing the metal hub spline fitting, centrally, in the composite material body;
• and
• linking a plurality of torque transfer joint link attachment pins rigidly to the metal hub spline fitting, each torque transfer joint link attachment pin extending from the composite material body.

A method for manufacturing a torque transfer joint trunnion comprising:

• casting, forging and/or machining an integral metal hub spline fitting oriented on a center axis and defining an integral central internally-splined mast or driveshaft coupling opening portion in the integral metal hub spline fitting centered about the center axis;
• laying up a composite material body using a fiber placement construction technique winding resin impregnated fiber tows around the metal hub spline fitting centrally to form the composite material body;
• curing the metal hub spline fitting, centrally, in the composite material body;
• and
• linking a plurality of torque transfer joint link attachment pins rigidly to the metal hub spline fitting, each torque transfer joint link attachment pin extending from the composite material body.

A method for manufacturing a torque transfer joint trunnion comprising:

• casting, forging and/or machining an integral metal hub spline fitting oriented on a center axis and defining an integral central internally-splined mast or driveshaft coupling opening portion in the integral metal hub spline fitting centered about the center axis;
• securing each of a plurality of metal fixtures to the metal hub spline fitting;
• curing the metal hub spline fitting, centrally, in the composite material body and the plurality of metal fixtures into the composite material body;
• and
• securing each of a plurality of torque transfer joint link attachment pins to a respective one of the metal fixtures, linking each of the torque transfer joint link attachment pins rigidly to the metal hub spline fitting, each torque transfer joint link attachment pin extending from the composite material body.

A constant-velocity joint comprising:

• a torque transfer joint trunnion comprising:
• an integral metal hub spline fitting oriented along a center axis and defining an integral central internally-splined mast or driveshaft coupling opening portion centered along the center axis;
• a composite material body centrally retaining and cured to the metal hub spline fitting;
• and
• a plurality of torque transfer joint link attachment pins rigidly linked to the metal hub spline fitting and extending from the composite material body;
• and
• a plurality of pivoting linkages, each rotatably coupled to one torque transfer joint link attachment pin, each of the plurality of pivoting linkages secured to a rotor yoke configured to mount a plurality of rotorcraft blades.