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US 11,554,858 B2Granted
Rotor mast with composite insert
AssigneeTextron Innovations Inc.
InventorsGilberto Morales, Roozbeh Kiamanesh, Russell Mueller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotor mast including an outer member defining a channel therethrough and an inner member disposed in the channel through the outer member, wherein the inner member is configured to apply a compressive force to the outer member.
Claims20
A rotor mast, comprising:
- an outer member including an external surface, an internal surface, a first bearing area perpendicular to an axis of the outer member, and a second bearing area perpendicular to the axis of the outer member, wherein the internal surface defines a channel extending between the first bearing area and the second bearing area and the outer member comprises a metal;
- and
- an inner member disposed within the channel of the outer member, the inner member including a shaft, a clamping element, a cuff coupling the shaft to the clamping element, a first bearing surface perpendicular to an axis of the inner member, and a second bearing surface perpendicular to the axis of the inner member, wherein the first bearing surface is located on the clamping element and the inner member comprises a composite material;
- wherein the inner member and outer member are not bonded to each other;
- wherein the first bearing area is in contact with the first bearing surface and the second bearing area is in contact with the second bearing surface for reacting opposing axial forces when the outer member is under compression along a length thereof between the first bearing area and the second bearing area and the inner member is under tension along a length thereof between the first bearing surface and the second bearing surface.
2 more elements
An aircraft, comprising:
- a fuselage;
- a powerplant configured to produce rotational energy;
- and
- a rotor assembly, comprising:
- a rotor hub;
- a plurality of rotor blades extending from the rotor hub;
- and
- a rotor mast coupled to the rotor hub, the rotor mast being configured to receive the rotational energy produced by the powerplant and transmit it to the rotor hub, the rotor mast comprising:
- a metallic outer member including an external surface, an internal surface, a first bearing area perpendicular to an axis of the outer member, and a second bearing area perpendicular to the axis of the outer member, wherein the internal surface defines a channel extending between the first bearing area and the second bearing area;
- and
- an inner member including a composite shaft disposed within the channel of the outer member, the inner member including a first bearing surface perpendicular to an axis of the inner member and coupled to a first end of the composite shaft and a second bearing surface perpendicular to the axis of the inner member and coupled to a second end of the shaft;
- wherein the inner member and outer member are not bonded to each other;
- wherein the first bearing area is in contact with the first bearing surface and the second bearing area is in contact with the second bearing surface for reacting opposing axial forces when the outer member is under compression along a length thereof between the first bearing area and the second bearing area and the inner member is under tension along a length thereof between the first bearing surface and the second bearing surface,
- wherein the inner member provides a redundant structure capable of reacting axial loads between the rotor hub and the powerplant in the event the outer member fails.
11 more elements
A rotor mast, comprising:
- an outer member including an external surface, an internal surface, a first bearing area perpendicular to an axis of the outer member, and a second bearing area perpendicular to the axis of the outer member, wherein the internal surface defines a channel extending between the first bearing area and the second bearing area;
- and
- an inner member, comprising:
- a shaft at least partially disposed within the channel of the outer member;
- a first cuff coupled to a first end of the shaft and having external threads;
- a clamping element having internal threads and a first bearing surface perpendicular to an axis of the inner member, the internal threads being configured for engaging the external threads of the first cuff;
- and
- a second cuff coupled to a second end of the shaft and having a second bearing surface perpendicular to the axis of the inner member;
- wherein each cuff is fastened to the associated end with fasteners extending radially toward the axis of the inner member;
- wherein the inner member and outer member are not bonded to each other;
- wherein the first bearing area is in contact with the first bearing surface and the second bearing area is in contact with the second bearing surface for reacting opposing axial forces when the outer member is under compression along a length thereof between the first bearing area and the second bearing area and the inner member is under tension along a length thereof between the first bearing surface and the second bearing surface.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.