Aircraft propeller electric blade pitch change and control
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorThomas G. Corley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A propeller assembly of an aircraft includes a hub, a plurality of propeller blades extending from the hub and secured thereto and a propeller blade pitch change system located at at least one propeller blade of the plurality of propeller blades. The propeller blade pitch change system includes a pitch change actuator located in the propeller blade, and a drive mechanism operably connected to the pitch change actuator and to the propeller blade to urge rotation of the propeller blade about a propeller blade axis.
Claims13
A propeller assembly of an aircraft, comprising:
- a hub;
- a plurality of propeller blades extending from the hub and secured thereto;
- a propeller blade pitch change system disposed at at least one propeller blade of the plurality of propeller blades, the propeller blade pitch change system including:
- a pitch change actuator disposed in the propeller blade;
- a drive mechanism operably connected to the pitch change actuator and to the propeller blade to urge rotation of the propeller blade about a propeller blade axis;
- and
- a shaft operably connected to and driven by the drive mechanism, the shaft connected to the hub via an anti-rotation feature;
- wherein the drive mechanism is a planetary gear train.
A propeller blade pitch change system, comprising:
- a pitch change actuator positioned in a blade pocket of a propeller blade;
- a drive mechanism operably connected to the pitch change actuator and to the propeller blade to urge rotation of the propeller blade about a propeller blade axis;
- and
- a shaft operably connected to and driven by the drive mechanism, the shaft connected to an anti-rotation feature of a hub of a propeller system;
- wherein the drive mechanism is a planetary gear train.
A method of pitch change of a propeller blade of a propeller, comprising:
- activating a pitch change actuator, the pitch change actuator disposed in a propeller blade pocket of the propeller blade;
- driving a drive mechanism operably connected to the pitch change actuator via activation of the pitch change actuator;
- and
- changing a pitch of the propeller blade via driving of the drive mechanism, the drive mechanism operably connected to the propeller blade;
- and
- driving a shaft via the drive mechanism, the shaft secured to an anti-rotation feature of a hub of a propeller assembly;
- wherein the drive mechanism is a planetary gear train.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.