Device for locking a structure for securing a blade to the hub of a rotorcraft rotor
AssigneesEurocopter, Artus
InventorsCharles Louis, Patrick Quesne
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for locking a holding structure for securing a foldable blade of a rotorcraft rotor to the hub of the rotor. The holding structure is hinged in pitch and in drag relative to the hub and the rotor includes, for the purpose of folding the blade, elements for locking the blade-holding structure in pitch and in drag, which device is remarkable in that the associated drive elements includes brake elements preventing it from turning in flight, in particular under the effect of vibration from the rotor.
Claims10
A device for locking a holding structure for securing a foldable blade of a rotorcraft rotor to the hub of said rotor, said holding structure being hinged in pitch and in drag relative to the hub, the rotor also comprising respective locking means associated with each of the blade-holding structures and arranged to be capable of causing the pitch hinge of the blade-holding structure to be locked relative to the hub, and also arranged to be capable of locking the drag hinge of the blade-holding structure relative to the hub, the locking means being suitable for being driven by a rotary electric actuator and a drive mechanism, the device further comprising brake means for the rotary electric actuator or the drive mechanism to prevent said actuator and the drive mechanism from turning under the effect of rotor vibration, in the absence of any electricity being fed to the motor, while allowing the actuator and the drive mechanism to rotate when the actuator is powered, and the drive mechanism of the locking means by the actuator being irreversible.
A rotorcraft rotor comprising:
- a hub;
- a plurality of foldable blades, each blade being secured to the hub by a holding structure, each holding structure including a pitch hinge and a drag hinge such that each holding structure is hinged relative to the hub about a pitch axis and about a drag axis;
- a respective locking member associated with each of the holding structures and arranged to be capable of causing the pitch hinge of one of the holding structures to be locked, and also of causing the drag hinge of one of the holding structures to be locked, the locking member being suitable for being driven by a rotary electric actuator via a drive mechanism including an irreversible speed reducer;
- and
- a magnetic brake member for the rotary electric actuator or the drive mechanism to prevent the actuator and the drive mechanism from turning under the effect of rotor vibration in the absence of electricity being fed to the actuator, while enabling the actuator and the drive mechanism to be rotated when the actuator is powered.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.