US 6,273,681 B1Granted

Rotor blade flap driving apparatus

AssigneeAdvanced Technology Institute of Commuter-Helicopter, Ltd.

InventorsEiichi Yamakawa, Tatsuro Hongu

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Abstract

An actuator and first to fourth links constitute a first displacement magnifying mechanism. An input shaft which is fixed in a basal end of the first and second links, a support shaft which is fixed in a basal end of the third and fourth links, and a displacement magnifying lever constitute a second displacement magnifying mechanism. In the displacement magnifying lever, an intermediate portion is angularly displaceably coupled to a tip end of the support shaft, a tip end of the input shaft is angularly displaceably coupled to one end, and an output rod is angularly displaceably coupled to another end. The expansion and contraction of the actuator are magnified by the first and second displacement magnifying mechanisms so as to drive a flap angularly via output rod. According to this configuration, the displacement of the actuator can be largely magnified so that the flap can be sufficiently angularly displaced in the vertical direction and in a reciprocal manner.

A rotor blade flap driving apparatus comprising:

a blade;
a flap angularly displaceably attached to a trailing edge of the blade;
an actuator housed in the blade, which expands and contracts in a spanwise direction of the blade thereof;
and
displacement magnifying means for magnifying the displacements of the actuator and transmitting the magnified displacements to the flap to angularly displace the flap in a vertical direction thereof,
the displacement magnifying means including:
a first displacement magnifying mechanism having:
a first link disposed on one side portion of the actuator, one end of the first link being angularly displaceably coupled to one end of the actuator,
a second link disposed on the one side portion of the actuator, one end of the second link being angularly displaceably coupled to another end of the actuator, another end of the second link being angularly displaceably coupled to another end of the first link,
a third link disposed on the other side portion of the actuator, one end of the third link being angularly displaceably coupled to the one end of the actuator;
and
a fourth link disposed on the other side portion of the actuator, one end of the fourth link being angularly displaceably coupled to the other end of the actuator, another end of the fourth link being angularly displaceably coupled to another end of the third link,
the first displacement magnifying mechanism being a mechanism for magnifying expansion and contraction displacements of the actuator by moving in a direction along which the coupling portion between the first and second links, and the coupling portion between the third and fourth links approach and separate from each other in accordance with expansion and contraction of the actuator;
and
a second displacement magnifying mechanism having an input member which is coupled to the first displacement magnifying mechanism and output rod, one end of which is coupled to the flap for magnifying a displacement of the first displacement magnifying mechanism.

12 more elements

Abstract

Claims10