Folding of rotorcraft rotor blades
AssigneeBell Helicopter Textron Inc.
InventorsCarlos A. Fenny, Troy Schank, Frank B. Stamps
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
According to one embodiment, a rotor blade rotation system includes a hub, a rotor blade in mechanical communication with the hub and pivotable about an axis of rotation, a swashplate, a pitch link, and an actuator. The swashplate includes a rotating portion and a non-rotating portion. The pitch link is coupled to the rotating portion of the swashplate and in mechanical communication with the rotor blade. The actuator is coupled to the non-rotating portion of the swashplate and operable to reposition the swashplate from a first position to a second position such that the pitch links pivot the rotor blade from a deployed position to a folded position.
Claims16
A rotorcraft, comprising:
- a body;
- a wing coupled to the body;
- a power train coupled to at least one of the body or the wing and comprising a power source and a shaft in mechanical communication with the power source;
- a tiltrotor assembly pivotally coupled to the wing and in mechanical communication with the shaft, the tiltrotor assembly comprising:
- a hub in mechanical communication with the shaft;
- a rotor blade in mechanical communication with the hub and pivotable about an axis of rotation;
- a swashplate comprising a rotating portion and a non-rotating portion;
- a pitch link coupled to the rotating portion of the swashplate and in mechanical communication with the rotor blade;
- and
- an actuator coupled to the non-rotating portion of the swashplate and operable to reposition the swashplate from a first position to a second position such that the pitch links pivot the rotor blade from a deployed position to a folded position.
A rotor blade rotation system, comprising:
- a hub;
- a rotor blade in mechanical communication with the hub and pivotable about an axis of rotation;
- a swashplate comprising a rotating portion and a non-rotating portion;
- a pitch link coupled to the rotating portion of the swashplate and in mechanical communication with the rotor blade;
- and
- an actuator coupled to the non-rotating portion of the swashplate and operable to reposition the swashplate from a first position to a second position such that the pitch links pivot the rotor blade from a deployed position to a folded position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.