Laminar flow rotor and related methods and systems
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsBlaine K. Rawdon, Arthur G. Powell, John C. Vassberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotor blade including a root attachable to a rotor hub. The blade includes a tip and one or more channels aligned within the blade generally between the root and the tip. Each channel has a sealed first end and a second end vented to outside the blade. The channel(s) are vented to one or more exterior surfaces of the blade through one or more apertures in the exterior surface(s).
Claims20
A rotor blade comprising:
- a root attachable to a rotor hub;
- a tip;
- one or more channels aligned within the blade generally between the root and the tip, each channel having a sealed first end and a second end vented to outside the blade;
- the one or more channels vented to one or more exterior surfaces of the blade through one or more apertures in the one or more exterior surfaces.
A mechanical device comprising a rotor having a plurality of blades rotatable about a central axis;
- each blade having one or more channels inside the blade and aligned generally lengthwise relative to the blade;
- each channel having a sealed first end and a second end vented to outside the blade;
- each blade having one or more exterior surfaces to which the one or more channels are vented through one or more apertures in the one or more exterior surfaces.
A rotor comprising:
- a plurality of blades rotatable about a central axis of the rotor, each blade having a tip and a root between the tip and the central axis;
- each blade having one or more internal channels aligned generally between the root and the tip;
- each channel sealed at a first end of the channel and vented at a second end of the channel to outside the blade;
- each blade having one or more exterior surfaces to which the one or more channels are vented through one or more apertures in the one or more exterior surfaces.
A wind turbine comprising a rotor, the rotor having a plurality of blades rotatable about a central axis, each blade having one or more internal channels situated generally span-wise relative to the blade;
- each channel sealed at a first end of the channel and vented at a second end of the channel to outside the blade;
- each blade having one or more exterior surfaces to which the one or more channels are vented through one or more apertures in the one or more exterior surfaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.