Spherical bearing centrifugal force retention link
AssigneeBell Textron Inc.
InventorsAndrew Paul HALDEMAN, Paul Wayne WOOLBRIGHT, Timothy McClellan MOSIG, George Matthew THOMPSON
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A spherical bearing centrifugal force retention link includes an inboard spherical bearing to attach to a rotor hub and an outboard spherical bearing to attach to a rotor blade. In use, the inboard spherical bearing and the outboard spherical bearing react centrifugal force radially and a torsional moment of the centrifugal force link is substantially constant throughout the rotor blade pitch range.
Claims21
A rotor blade assembly, comprising:
- a hub rotatable about a rotational axis;
- a rotor blade extending radially from the hub along a pitch axis and having a rotor blade pitch range;
- and
- a centrifugal force (CF) link having an inboard spherical bearing attached to the hub and an outboard spherical bearing attached to the rotor blade and a torsional moment of the CF link is constant throughout the rotor blade pitch range.
-6. (canceled)
The rotor blade assembly of claim 10, wherein the rotor blade pitch range is 50 to 85 degrees.
A rotorcraft, comprising:
- a rotor comprising a hub rotatable about a rotational axis;
- a rotor blade extending radially from the hub along a pitch axis and having a rotor blade pitch range;
- and
- a centrifugal force (CF) link having an inboard spherical bearing attached to the hub and an outboard spherical bearing attached to the rotor blade, wherein the inboard spherical bearing and the outboard spherical bearing react centrifugal force radially, and a torsional moment of the CF link is constant throughout the rotor blade pitch range.
A ducted fan, comprising:
- a duct having a central axis;
- a rotor assembly located in the duct, the rotor assembly comprising:
- a hub rotatable about a rotational axis coaxial with the central axis;
- a rotor blade extending radially from the hub along a pitch axis and having a rotor blade pitch range;
- and
- a centrifugal force (CF) link having an inboard spherical bearing attached to the hub and an outboard spherical bearing attached to the rotor blade, wherein the inboard spherical bearing and the outboard spherical bearing react centrifugal force radially, and a torsional moment of the CF link is constant throughout the rotor blade pitch range.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.