Folding rotor for an autogyro device
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorRichard D. Jones
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one embodiment, a folding rotor blade for an autogyro device comprises a plurality of connected rotor members. When the folding rotor blade is in a compressed state the folding rotor blade has a compressed length, and some of the connected rotor members are disposed in a non-parallel arrangement. When the folding rotor blade is in an extended state the folding rotor blade has an extended length, which is greater than the compressed length, and the connected rotor members are disposed in a parallel arrangement.
Claims25
A folding rotor blade for an autogyro device comprising:
- a plurality of connected rotor members, wherein when the folding rotor blade is in a compressed state the folding rotor blade has a compressed length and some of the connected rotor members are disposed in a non-parallel arrangement, and when the folding rotor blade is in an extended state the folding rotor blade has an extended length which is greater than the compressed length and the connected rotor members are disposed in a parallel arrangement;
- wherein at least one of:
- (1) the folding rotor blade is spring loaded to move the folding rotor blade into the compressed state when an autogyro device is not operating;
- or (2) the folding rotor blade is adapted to move to the extended state from the compressed state as a result of centrifugal force supplied by an autogryo device.
A folding rotor blade for an autogyro device comprising:
- a plurality of rotor members which are connected by hinges, wherein the folding rotor blade is adapted to move as a result of centrifugal force from a compressed state having a compressed length to an extended state having an extended length greater than the compressed length;
- wherein at least one of:
- (1) the connected rotor members have solid cross-sections;
- (2) when the folding rotor blade is in the compressed state some of the connected rotor members are disposed in a non-parallel arrangement, and when the folding rotor blade is in the extended state the connected rotor members are disposed in a parallel arrangement;
- or (3) the folding rotor blade is spring loaded to move the folding rotor blade into the compressed state when an autogyro device is not operating.
A method of deploying a folding rotor blade attached to an autogyro device comprising:
- providing the folding rotor blade attached to the autogyro device, wherein the folding rotor blade comprises a plurality of connected rotor members;
- compressing the folding rotor blade to a compressed length in which some of the connected rotor members are disposed in a non-parallel arrangement;
- and
- extending the folding rotor blade to an extended length, which is greater than the compressed length, in which the connected rotor members are disposed in a parallel arrangement as a result of centrifugal force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.