Ducted fan assembly for an aircraft
AssigneeTextron Innovations Inc.
InventorsWilliam Anthony Amante, Timothy Brian Carr
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an embodiment, a ducted fan assembly includes a housing that further includes a rotor. The ducted fan assembly also includes a plurality of stators that extend outward from the housing. The ducted fan assembly also includes a control vane pivotally attached to at least one of the plurality of stators. The ducted fan assembly also includes a rim that extends around at least a portion of a perimeter of the ducted fan assembly and is supported by the plurality of stators and the control vane, where the rim defines an opening surrounding at least a portion of the housing.
Claims19
A ducted fan assembly comprising:
- a housing comprising a rotor;
- a plurality of stators that extend outward from the housing;
- a control vane pivotally attached to at least one of the plurality of stators;
- a rim that extends around at least a portion of a perimeter of the ducted fan assembly and is supported by the plurality of stators and the control vane, wherein the rim defines an opening surrounding at least a portion of the housing;
- wherein the control vane is positioned aft of the rim;
- wherein an outer edge of the control vane is coextensive with the rim in a direction perpendicular to a rotational plane of the rotor;
- and
- a leading-edge bladder comprising a carcass and that is attached to the rim and extends around the at least a portion of a perimeter of the ducted fan assembly to form a leading edge of the ducted fan assembly, the leading-edge bladder configured to be filled with a gas;
- wherein the carcass comprises a weakened section configured to bleed off pressure resulting from impact with a foreign object.
A rotorcraft comprising a plurality of fan assemblies, each fan assembly comprising:
- a housing comprising a rotor;
- a plurality of stators that extend outward from the housing;
- a control vane pivotally attached to at least one of the plurality of stators;
- a rim that extends around at least a portion of a perimeter of the fan assembly and is supported by the plurality of stators and the control vane, wherein the rim defines an opening surrounding at least a portion of the housing;
- a leading-edge bladder comprising a carcass and that is attached to the rim and extends around the at least a portion of a perimeter of the fan assembly to form a leading edge of the fan assembly, the leading-edge bladder configured to be filled with a gas;
- wherein the control vane is positioned aft of the rim;
- wherein an outer edge of the control vane is coextensive with the rim in a direction perpendicular to a rotational plane of the rotor;
- and
- wherein the carcass comprises a weakened section configured to bleed off pressure resulting from impact with a foreign object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.