Pitch drop friction brake
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorsTyler Christian Kane, Kevin A. Laitenberger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rotor system of a rotary wing aircraft includes a rotor hub including a hub arm, a rotor blade rotatably coupled to the hub arm about a longitudinal axis of the hub arm, and a first brake assembly. The first brake assembly includes a rod coupled to the rotor blade coupling and a brake shoe coupled to the rod. The brake shoe is configured to apply a force on the hub arm. An axial position of the rod is adjustable to vary the force of the brake shoe on the hub arm.
Claims20
A rotor system of a rotary wing aircraft, the rotor system comprising:
- a rotor hub comprising a hub arm;
- a rotor blade coupling rotatably coupled to the hub arm about a longitudinal axis of the hub arm;
- and
- a first brake assembly comprising a rod coupled to the rotor blade coupling and a first brake shoe coupled to the rod, the first brake shoe configured to apply a force on the hub arm,
- wherein an axial position of the rod is adjustable to vary the force of the first brake shoe on the hub arm.
A rotary wing aircraft comprising:
- a rotor system comprising:
- a rotor hub comprising a hub arm;
- a rotor blade coupling configured to pitch about a longitudinal axis of the hub arm;
- a tension-torsion strap coupling the rotor blade to the hub arm;
- a swashplate assembly comprising a plurality of pitch control actuators configured to control the pitch of the rotor blade;
- an engine or motor configured to rotate the rotor system, wherein the rotation of the rotor system is configured to lift the rotary wing aircraft;
- one or more brake assemblies each comprising a rod coupled to the rotor blade coupling and a brake shoe coupled to the rod, the brake shoe configured to apply a force on the hub arm to resist a pitch change of the rotor blade coupling, wherein an axial position of the rod is adjustable to vary the force of the brake shoe on the hub arm.
A method of controlling pitch drop of a rotor blade coupled to a rotor hub of rotary wing aircraft by a tension-torsion strap and a rotor blade coupling, the method comprising:
- coupling a brake assembly to the rotor blade coupling, the brake assembly comprising a rod coupled to a brake shoe;
- and
- adjusting an axial position of the rod such that the brake shoe applies a force on the rotor hub, the force configured to resist pitch drop of the rotor blade.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.