Blade fold mechanism
AssigneeTextron Innovations Inc.
InventorsTroy Cyril Schank, Andrew Ryan Maresh, Chyau-Song Tzeng
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mechanism for folding a rotor blade that is rotatably coupled to a blade cuff about a blade-fold axis between an extended position and a folded position. The mechanism includes a swash plate configured to translate relative to a mast, a pitch link rotatably coupled to the swash plate, a pitch horn rotatably coupled to the pitch link, a crank coupled to the pitch horn, and a link rotatably coupled to the crank and rotatably coupled to the rotor blade. The pitch horn and the crank being configured to commonly rotate relative to the blade cuff about a crank axis in response to translation of the swash plate, wherein the crank axis passes through the blade cuff.
Claims17
A mechanism for transitioning a rotor blade between an extended position and a folded position, wherein the rotor blade is rotatably coupled to a blade cuff about a blade-fold axis, the mechanism comprising:
- a swash plate configured to translate relative to a mast;
- a pitch link rotatably coupled to the swash plate;
- a pitch horn rotatably coupled to the pitch link;
- a crank coupled to the pitch horn, the pitch horn and the crank being configured to commonly rotate relative to the blade cuff, about a crank axis, in response to translation of the swash plate, the crank axis passing through the blade cuff;
- and
- a link rotatably coupled to the crank and rotatably coupled to the rotor blade.
A mechanism for transitioning a rotor blade between an extended position and a folded position, wherein the rotor blade is rotatably coupled to a blade cuff about a blade-fold axis, the mechanism comprising:
- a swash plate configured to translate relative to a mast;
- a pitch link rotatably coupled to the swash plate;
- a pitch horn rotatably coupled to the pitch link;
- a crank coupled to the pitch horn, the pitch horn and the crank being configured to commonly rotate relative to the blade cuff, about a crank axis, in response to translation of the swash plate, the crank axis and the blade-fold axis being skew;
- and
- a link rotatably coupled to the crank and rotatably coupled to the rotor blade;
- wherein the mechanism is configured to cause the rotor blade to rotate greater than 90 degrees while the pitch horn rotates less than 90 degrees.
A tiltrotor aircraft, comprising:
- a mast;
- a rotor assembly, comprising:
- a rotor hub having an arm;
- and
- a rotor blade assembly being rotatably coupled to the arm about a pitch-change axis, the rotor blade assembly including a blade cuff and a rotor blade, the rotor blade being rotatably coupled to the blade cuff about a blade-fold axis;
- and
- a blade folding mechanism, comprising:
- a swash plate being configured to translate relative to the mast;
- a pitch link rotatably coupled to the swash plate;
- a pitch horn rotatably coupled to the pitch link;
- a crank coupled to the pitch horn, the pitch horn and the crank being configured to commonly rotate relative to the blade cuff, about a crank axis, in response to translation of the swash plate, the crank axis and the blade-fold axis being skew;
- a link rotatably coupled to the crank and rotatably coupled to the rotor blade;
- and
- a blade lock having a locked position and an unlocked position, the blade lock being configured to lock the pitch horn in a fixed position relative to the blade cuff in the locked position, wherein translation of the swash plate is configured to cause rotation of the rotor blade assembly about the pitch-change axis when the blade lock is in the locked position;
- wherein the crank axis passes through the blade cuff.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.